Beloved Newman educator and coach Kerry McWilliams will be forever memorialized following a gymnasium dedication ceremony set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 10 at Orestimba High School.
McWilliams — or Mr. Mac, as he was referred to by friends, students, athletes and colleagues — was a lifelong educational leader, coach and advocate for high school athletics. He passed away unexpectedly in April 2022.
“As a former student and player under Mr. Mac, I can’t think of anyone more deserving to have the OHS gymnasium and court named for and dedicated to. I first met Mr. Mac in 1992-93. He always encouraged his players and students to be respectful, kind, and goal driven. He influenced me on and off the court and played a huge and integral role in my teenage years and throughout college. I even coached a girls basketball team for a bit. He will be missed in our community,” said Natalie Mattos-Perry.
McWilliams began his teaching career in 1979 at Yolo Middle School in Newman. He coached baseball and basketball at Orestimba High School for 29 years, in part to honor his father, Stan, who also coached baseball and basketball for 29 years at SCC. During those years, McWilliams also served OHS as an English teacher, director of athletics, and assistant principal. Eventually, he became the principal at Creekside Middle School in Patterson; a position he held prior to his retirement 2016.
McWilliams’s leadership in education extended to serving his community for several years as board president on the Newman-Crows Landing School Board and serving the California Interscholastic Federation as its Sac-Joaquin Section, Western Athletic Conference Commissioner.
Family members estimated that Mr. Mac coached upwards of a thousand athletes, taught thousands more students, yet still remembered the names and faces of every single one.
Recently appointed Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District Superintendent Justin Pruett said he first met “Mr. Mac” in 1981 when he was in junior high school and was Pruett’s English teacher.
“From day one, I noticed he engaged students like no other teacher I knew before him. He was interesting, funny and seemed to know everyone’s name. As I continued through school, he became a mentor, coach and inspiration. Because of him I wanted to become a teacher and coach. I learned many lessons from him, outside of the classroom. Every conversation we had, l learned more from him. His influence upon the educational and athletic community is immeasurable,” said Pruett.
Former NCLUSD superintendent Roberto Salinas first met McWilliams when Salinas started out as principal at Orestimba High School and McWilliams was working at the middle school. He then worked with him over the next several years at the high school.
“Kerry had a long run at the Newman-Crows Landing School District. He was a preeminent educator, kids always came first,” said Salinas.
The two also worked together to make sure the high school gymnasium stayed up to standards, by securing funding to update the weight room and repaint the basketball floors, among other improvements over the years.
As part of the dedication ceremony of the newly named “Mac Court” on Feb. 10, commemorative t-shirts, sweatshirts and baseball hats will be sold with proceeds to be used to create a scholarship in Coach McWilliam’s name.
Jessica Gonzales, a former OHS athlete, was one of the members on the dedication committee.
“He was a positive influence in my life as an educator, coach and athletic director during my time at OHS. He embodied so many things and was someone you could always count on for encouragement. There was never of question in my mind who it should be named after, I just knew we needed to make it happen,” she said.
For more information about the scholarship fund, call (209) 604-8105 or email smattos@mattosnews.com.
