Former Indians head basketball coach honored as one of all-time best
Bill Spinks
Waxahachie Daily Light
Former WHS head boys' basketball coach Lonnie Gaylor speaks during a Special Olympics event in 2013. The University Interscholastic League has named Gaylor, who today coaches the Lady Indians golf team, as one of the 100 top high school basketball coaches of all time.
Longtime Waxahachie coach Lonnie Gaylor has received a once-in-a-century recognition from the University Interscholastic League.
On Tuesday of last week, Gaylor learned that he has been named among the top 100 coaches of all time in Texas high school basketball.
In celebration of 100 years of UIL Texas high school basketball and football, the UIL is honoring icons and legends in each sport’s illustrious history.
With the help of some of the state’s foremost experts and historians, the UIL will honor 100 of the greatest players to ever suit up in Texas, 100 of the finest teams to grace the field and hardwood, and 100 of the top coaches to walk the sidelines in UIL History. Football will also honor 100 of the greatest rivalries and most memorable games.
?By the time Gaylor hung up his whistle in 2008, he had coached for 34 years and racked up 706 career victories with a .654 career winning percentage. Gaylor coached five years at Nacogdoches, four years at Marlin, and 16 years at Graham before coming to Waxahachie as head basketball coach.
Gaylor remains active in coaching, as he continues to coach the Lady Indians golf team. He is now in his 24th year at Waxahachie, and this is his 49th year in education.
While at Graham, Gaylor’s teams went undefeated in the regular season twice: 32-0 in 1983-84 and 31-0 in 1994-95. The 1996 Steers team played for the state championship. During Gaylor’s last four seasons at Graham, the Steers went 40-0 in district play.
At Waxahachie, Gaylor’s teams made the playoffs in eight of 11 years, including two trips to the regional tournament.
Gaylor was also inducted into the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2017, the Texas Legislature honored Gaylor with a resolution congratulating him for his induction.
Gaylor graduated high school in Jacksonville, Texas. After high school, he obtained his A.A. from Jacksonville College in Jacksonville and his B.S. and M.Ed. from Stephen F. Austin State in Nacogdoches. Gaylor began his coaching career in 1972 at Nacogdoches High School as an assistant coach and was promoted to head coach two years later.