Robert Hughes | Loves ones reflect on passing of Hall of Fame Texas high school basketball coach

Robert Hughes, a legendary basketball coach who spent nearly 50 years coaching at Fort Worth high schools, died Tuesday at 96, Fort Worth ISD confirmed.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Coach Robert Hughes, a pillar of our community and a legend in high school basketball," Fort Worth ISD Board President Camille Rodriguez wrote in a statement. "His dedication to Fort Worth ISD and his athletes was unparalleled, leading to an extraordinary career marked by numerous championships and a lasting impact on countless lives."
Hughes first coached at I.M. Terrell High School from 1958 to 1973, and that same year went on to coach at Dunbar High School, where he would remain until he retired in 2003. Between 1963 and 2003, Hughes won five state championships and retired as the all-time winningest high school basketball coach. His final record was 1,333 wins and 264 losses.
Also in 2003, Hughes was inducted into the Texas Basketball Hall of Fame. He would later be inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. The Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center's basketball court was named in Hughes' honor.
Former Dunbar High School basketball point guard Wayne Lewis, affectionately known as "Spanky" said Coach Hughes helped shape his life as a student athlete.
"The impact he had was extraordinary," Spanky said, "Because he was all about winning. That is all we heard, winning, winning and we would almost play 365 days a year."
Coach Swarn Lacy is honored to follow behind Coach Hughes saying his shoes are too big to fill. While playing for Hughes, he became the father figure to Lacy.
"He has had a heck of an impact on my life," said Lacy, "He was a father figure. We had long talks that I didn't talk to anybody else about."
But Hughes' legacy extends well past his record-breaking achievements on the basketball court.
"He was a role model, instilling values of respect, discipline, and hard work in all the lives he touched," Rodriguez said. "His impact extended beyond the teams he led; I was blessed to have Coach Hughes as my health teacher in high school, and he became a dear friend and mentor."
FULL STORY: www.wfaa.com/article/news/loc...
00:00 - Wayne Lewis - Former Dunbar High School point guard
16:41 - Gyna Bivens - Fort Worth Mayor Pro Tem
23:24 - Swarn Lacy - Dunbar High School head basketball coach