By Ryann Heinlen
Former UNLV basketball coach, Jerry Tarkanian, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 11 at the age of 84. His son made the announcement on Twitter saying, “Coach Tark, my father, the greatest man I have ever known, passed today, to take his place in heaven. I will miss him every day of my life.”
Tarkanian started his career with the Runnin’ Rebels in 1973, ending in 1992 with four Final Four games and a championship victory against Duke University. In 2013, Tarkanian was admitted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame for his influence in the sports world.
The Hall of Fame coach was awarded with the innovation of the modern Rebels basketball team, bringing them into the light of Division I basketball and making the UNLV team a force to be reckoned with.
“When I think of Jerry Tarkanian I think of incredibly tenacious defense which creates turnovers that cause fast break transition basketball,” UNLV alumnus Mr. Jeff Johnson, Honors World History and History of Music teacher, said.
The University of Nevada Las Vegas honored their former coach with a statue that sits outside the campus arena. The arena, named the Thomas & Mack, earned the nickname “the Shark Tank” after Tarkanian.
“When UNLV won the national championship in 1990, he was interviewed and he dedicated the victory to the people of Nevada, and I don’t think people outside of Las Vegas really understood how much he did for the community and how much he did for the people of Las Vegas and just how proud he made people feel about living in Las Vegas,” Mr. Matt Aberman, AP World History teacher and Varsity Quiz coach, said. “He made Las Vegas known in the country for something other than gambling.”
Jerry Tarkanian leaves behind his wife, a Las Vegas councilwoman, and his four sons. One of his sons, Danny Tarkanian, played point guard for his father for three years in the 1980s.
“The secret is to have eight great players and four others who will cheer like crazy.” -Jerry Tarkanian
