High school girls basketball: Naples High christens Dave Walker Court for late coach

Dave Walker will never be forgotten by anyone who met the coach and educator in his four decades at Naples High School.

Walker’s legacy now will live on with the future generation of Golden Eagles as well.

Before Thursday’s boys-girls basketball doubleheader, Naples dedicated its court to the longtime coach who died last year of brain cancer. The high school officially named the floor in its main gym Coach Dave Walker Court at a ceremony including the former coach’s loved ones and colleagues.

“He left a legacy on so many people,” said Leann Burkholder, Walker’s partner the last 11 years of his life who also coached with him in his final seasons. “When he got sick the responses and outpouring of support were tremendous. This is the perfect way to honor him.”

Walker won 612 games in 33 years coaching the Naples girls basketball team. He was elected to the Florida High School Athletic Association shortly after he retired in 2012 and later named to the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches’ Court of Legends.

Walker was diagnosed with brain cancer in October 2015 and died from the disease at 68 in February 2017. Naples held a memorial service for the former coach in the gym, on the very same court that now bears his name.

“We’ve had quite a bit of community support at Naples High School and beyond to do something to honor the memory of Dave Walker,” said athletic director Ernie Modugno, who began working with Walker at the school in 1981. “He left his imprint in the community, not just in basketball.”

More:Naples High coach, FHSAA Hall of Famer Dave Walker dies at age 68

More:Friends, family remember late Naples High coach Dave Walker

Walker’s only child, Tiffany Walker Sigal, and Burkholder spoke at Wednesday’s ceremony. Sigal, who now is a doctor in the Air Force stationed in Las Vegas, Nevada, played for her dad from 1996-99 and also was Walker’s assistant from 2004-07.

“It’s pretty special to have this happen,” Sigal said. “A lot of people worked really hard to make this happen. I’m honored, and I know that he would be honored.

“It’s nothing he ever thought about. He just worked hard every day. To have this happen just shows the impact he had on people.”

The words “Coach Dave Walker Court” are now imprinted onto the Naples hardwood in two opposite corners – one where fans first enter the gym, and the other in front of the home bench.

The dedication happened seven years to the day after Walker won his 600th game, becoming the 33rd basketball coach in Florida at any level to do so.

The honor goes beyond the girls basketball team Walker spent more than three decades with. Anyone who comes into the Naples gym, athlete or not, will see his name.

It’s appropriate since Walker was more than a girls basketball coach. He also spent time with the boys basketball, football and softball teams in his 37 years at Naples.

Walker also was a math teacher at the school from when he arrived in town in 1975 until he retired.

Walker joins a group of other local coaches who have had athletic facilities named after them following their deaths.

In 2010, Gulf Coast named its football field Frank Tudryn Field after their coach who resigned a year before and later died from cancer. In 2016, Estero named its football stadium Jeff Sommer Stadium for the longtime cross country coach and athletic director who died at the state finals in 2015. The Fort Myers football team plays on Sam Sirianni Field, named for the coach who died of cancer in 2002.

Even before Thursday’s ceremony, Walker’s spirit was alive every time the Golden Eagles girls basketball team took the court.

The Eagles are coached by Daniella Rossett, who played for Walker from 1997-2000 and took over when the former coach retired in 2012. Each season the team gives out the Dave Walker Award to the player that best embodies his spirit and passion for the sport.

“I’m one of many who were able to be impacted by him,” Rossett said. “It’s special to take over the program after him. It’s special the (school) gave him this honor. And it’s really cool that, despite his death, his name gets to carry on.”