BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — It’s been exactly one month since a former Bloomington High School Coach and Teacher passed away. Although the memories of him lie with the people he touched, the District 87 school board will soon have the option of cementing his legacy.
Coach Bob Loy may never get the chance to enter one of his favorite places, the BHS Swim Facility, or share one of his famous funny stories again, but the memories he created during his 41 years as Coach of the swim team are some things his former athletes will never forget.
“When you think of someone who has invested time and energy into our school, he just kind of defines it,” said BHS Athletic Director Tony Bauman.
After Loy passed away on October 30th, one of his former swimmer’s Jennifer Priester, with the help of faculty came up with the idea to have his legacy live on. They began brainstorming a way to ask the District 87 School Board to consider naming the swimming facility after him (The Bob Loy Natatorium).
Together they created a petition, seeking 5,000 signatures, and within days thousands of former students, swimmers, and staff signed it.
“It truly just shows how many people he has made an impact on throughout his time at BHS,” said Current Swimmer Aiden Oakey.
It’s the circle of life, the very people he helped get their name on the Raider Record wall, are the same people fighting to get his name on the building.
“He was at every meet, he was at every practice, he was there for before practices after practices,” said Priester. “He just kept that program together for decades.”
The school board will be voting on the proposal at their December 9th school board meeting.
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