The Gary Raya Classic (formerly the El Dorado Coed Classic) is an annual tournament held by El Dorado High School in honor of Gary Raya, former ball-boy, student athlete, team captain, coach and leader at the school. So named by then Athletic Director Carl Sweet in December 1995, the Gary Raya Classic honors Gary who's life was cut short due to cardiac arrhythmia because of idiopathic cardiomyopathy. He was 29 years old. Gary played for the school, graduated in 1984 and immediately remained at the school as a basketball coach, varsity boys assistant and head girls coach. He was 83-24 over a four year period with the girls.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: DECEMBER 12-16, 2017
Schedule TBD.
Gary Raya
Gary Raya (standing bottom right) with 1975 CIF Championship Team
1983/84 Team with Gary Raya #10
Pictured from left: Rob Ramos, Barry Dahman, Ricky Alvarez, Erik Olson, Rob Hanna, Darren Schwartz, Kurt Ahrens, Rory Preston, Jim Sammon, Jim Mansfield, Bart Hakeman, Brad Driscoll & Roger Behle.
Kneeling from left: Rod Boaz, Coach Ed Ratleff, Tim Ritchie & Gary Raya
Gary #10, representing El Dorado High School & the USA on a tour of England, 1982
Pictured from left top row: Neil Evans, Ruben Goodsell, Rusty Flora, Coach Iran Novick, Mark Brubaker, Brian Mulvihill, Tom Congdon…from left bottom row: Rod Boaz, Erik Olson, Brad Driscoll, Dave Carmo, Danny Mahler & Gary Raya
Gary Raya, 2nd from top left.
Letter to Gary's team from President Ronald Reagan
