CRIMSON SHIELD
THE ONLINE MAGAZINE OF BROTHER MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL
October 2011
Published Monthly September through May
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Meet the Basketball Coach

Coach Bill Gallagher
Head basketball coach Bill Gallagher

"It was decided when I was still in vitro that I was going to Aloysius," says Bill Gallagher ('71).

  • His father, William Sr. ('47), went to the school at Esplanade and Rampart as did all Bill's uncles on both sides of his family except one.
  • Bill Jr. entered St. Aloysius as a ninth grader from St. Rita's in Harahan.
  • He was a basketball manager his freshman year and made Coach Rod Krentel's JV baseball team as a sophomore 1B. As for basketball, "there was a lot of talent in the school."
  • After two years, he moved to Brother Martin for his junior and senior years. The oldest of eight children, he benefitted from work scholarships at both high schools.

He started college at Tulane.

  • After two years on a partial scholarship, he transferred to UNO.
  • Since he enjoyed playing and coaching in the thriving CYO leagues of that era, he graduated in 1977 with a degree in physical education. "Even back then, I knew I wanted to be a coach."

Bill got a coaching job right out of college.

  • He taught K-8 P.E. and coached the middle school flag football, basketball, indoor ball, and track teams at St. Christopher in Metairie.
  • After two years, he moved to De La Salle where he was an assistant in both football and basketball.
  • The next year, he moved to a brand new school in Slidell, Pope John Paul II, as Athletic Director and coach. At age 26, he was the youngest person at the district AD meetings. "We started everything from scratch - the P.E. curriculum and the sports program, boys and girls." Among the many hats he wore was head football coach. "I never played a down of tackle football in my life," he marvels.
  • Bill spent a year at Chalmette, then five at Country Day, where he also served as football top man. When the school decided to bring the former coach back, he worked for a year in the Jefferson Parish Public School system.

His hiring by Brother Martin began with a mistake.

  • The Social Studies Chair, Eileen Depreo, knew the Gallaghers from PJPII. She called Bill "out of the blue" to see if he was interested in a position in her department.
  • After informing her that he was not certified in Social Studies, he filled an open spot in the Religion Department.

Bill's been at his alma mater ever since except for the Katrina year.

  • His hurricane story is not the same as many other teachers. He took the position of AD at Archbishop Hannan in St. Bernard Parish for the 2005-6 school year.
  • Many friends tease him that God obviously didn't want him to be in that position because a big wind washed away the school and relocated it to the northshore.
  • "When I left, John Devlin said, 'If you ever want to come back, you'll have a spot.'" So, after completing the storm year at Hahnville, Bill returned to Brother Martin.
  • He picked up where he left off as religion teacher and assistant coach in basketball and baseball. His odyssey culminated in being named the Brother More Schaefer award winner for excellence in teaching for 2011.
  • Scott Thompson's retirement as head coach for family reasons opened the door for Bill to take the helm.

Gallagher has a straightforward plan for the basketball program.

  • "Keep things going. I'm not going to change too much. We've been known for our hellacious defense."
  • "We've got a great mix of kids, young and old. A good nucleus coming back, a good nucleus coming up. I just need to step back and keep my hands off of them and let them go."
  • The season starts with St. Augustine, which is now a AAAA school. The Crusaders may also play the Purple Knights in the Newman and CYO Tournaments.
  • The Crusader staff includes John Quilter, an Australian who coached the 7th grade team at St. Aug. Bill calls him "a basketball junkie and a walking encyclopedia of drills" who should help develop the fundamentals of the players.

Neither Bill nor his son Ryan ('00), the Cross Country coach, realized at first that they hold a unique distinction.

  • They are the first father-son duo to be head coaches at the same time at St. Aloysius, Cor Jesu, or Brother Martin.
  • "It didn't dawn on us that it was a first until Kenny Spellman ('84) mentioned it."

Ryan and Bill Gallagher
Ryan and Bill Gallagher on the day Ryan's Cross Country team won State.
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