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Basketball coach with eight state championship wins retiring after 32 years

Posted at 10:09 PM, Feb 20, 2015
and last updated 2015-02-21 00:09:14-05

PROVO, Utah -- Craig Drury has been nothing short of legendary as a basketball coach at Provo High School. He graduated from the school as a star player, and he will end his coaching career there after a 32-year run.

Drury has won more state championships than any other high school basketball coach in the state, racking up eight titles in his time.

Dozens of Drury's former players showed up in support Friday night for Drury’s last home game of the regular season, and even Coach Rose sat in the stands. For Drury, it was an emotional night.

"I think they showed their appreciation tonight by showing up,” said Robin Drury, Craig’s wife. “It was... You could see him, he couldn't hardly take it. He had to walk away to hide the tears."

Robin, Craig’s high school sweetheart, has been with Craig through it all. After 42 years of marriage, she never could have guessed that he would get the opportunity to work all these years where they first met.

"Going back when our girls were little, I never knew that I would be going to games like twice a week,” she said.

Robin was his biggest fan through it all, and she said some of her best memories with Craig and their seven daughters came through his coaching.

"It's kept us young for one thing,” she said. “Coming to this school, there are just so many memories, our kids sliding in their socks late at night on the floor doing their gymnastics. I think it has been a perfectly wonderful life for us."

The last goal for Coach Drury is one more trip to the state championships, as the team has made the playoffs this season.