Coach Gary Hylton transitioned from Exeter to Redwood in 2019, leaving an impressive record of 168-128. Though basketball is what we know him for, there is a lot more to Coach Hylton that meets the eye.

By Fabian Anguiano

Coach Hylton had a good childhood and an interesting one. His mother gave birth to him when she was 41, with his two older brothers being 18 and 15 at the time of his birth.

Coach Hylton had started playing basketball in third grade and got hurt in his eighth-grade year. “I hurt my knee, had to have surgery, so I started coaching little league basketball [with] fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.”

Hylton’s road to Redwood was a long, but decorated one. “I coached 15 years at Woodlake for the Woodlake boys, and then I coached at Exeter and did a couple years JV boys there, one year helping with Varsity, and then took over the girls program.”

Coach Hylton was with the right person at the right time. He worked one year in Exeter, “helped out one year with a buddy of mine at Golden West, and the redwood job became available, and I was like, that’d be kind of cool to coach at a big school, since I’ve always coached at a small school. It’s been very fun.”

Hylton has enjoyed his time at Redwood. “It’s been really good. I mean, it’s tough when you only have one gym. Our practices are really late, so we get done at 8:30, and by the time I get home, it is 9:15 but it’s, but I’ve had some really good kids here, and I’ve enjoyed my time here at Redwood.”

Though Coach Hylton has done a great job at Redwood, he has always had his eyes set on the one thing he has fallen short at achieving: a championship.

Coach Hylton’s past experiences have shaped him into the coach he is today. “I knew when I was in eighth grade that I wanted to be a PE teacher and a coach. You learn every year from coaching and are still learning. So it’s been an onward.”

Coach Hylton’s goal for the rest of the season now only for the team, but for himself as a coach is, “ Our goal right now is to become a league champion. We’re one game out of that. We got to keep one in and then beat Monache, and then just to try to go as far as we can in the playoffs.”

Fabian Anguiano
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Fabian Anguiano '28,is a VERY passionate sportswriter and editor for the Redwood Gigantea. He is entering his third year with the Gigantea, and he likes motivating others and being involved in everything sports related. If you would like to reach him, just email him at [email protected]

 

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