Kevin Worley graduated from Skagway School in 1982, after playing six years of basketball. On Nov. 3, his family travelled from Juneau to watch his daughter coach his granddaughter at Skagway’s Boyd Worley Junior High Basketball Tournament, named after his father. Kevin accompanied his mother, Jean. Although a Skagway resident, she’s found it too painful to attend the tournament since her husband’s death in 2013.
Worley: “Well, we had four generations there. So, we were very pleased. And my nephew, Bryce, was also a scorekeeper and referee at the tournament.”
In 1976, Boyd was sent to Skagway for temporary duty at the U.S./Canada border. He returned home to tell his wife he had found paradise. The family soon relocated.
Kevin described his father’s dedication to town basketball.
Worley: “So, in 1980, or 81, he took over basically the intramural program, which was grooming young basketball players to get them ready for high school basketball. And it was a tradition he carried on until basically he passed. One of the things that he really enjoyed doing was he wrote this weekly newsletter during the intramural season, highlighting things that the kids did, and handing them out to all the kids.”
This homegrown publication was known as The Wheedle.
Jean explained her husband mentioned every athlete in his newsletter so they would spend time reading.
Jean said, “He wanted children to have self-esteem and confidence. He wanted them to like reading and descriptive words.”
She described her husband as a southern gentleman and “everything good.”
To everyone’s recollection, the Boyd Worley Tournament started around 1999.
Kevin thanked Jeff Kasler (Kassler) for starting the tournament and the O’Daniel family for continuing the tradition.
Worley: “I don’t think I can even name all the people that have been involved in it. It’s just basically a community event and everybody’s very welcoming. Those schools that come in have a lot of fun.”
Boys and girls from Haines, Floyd Dryden Middle School in Juneau, and teams from Whitehorse participated in this year’s tournament.
I miss Boyd. He always had a happy “hello” and genuinely cared about how you were doing! He has a great family and I’m so glad this tournament tradition is being carried on. I attended many tournaments in Skagway while my boys were playing and my husband coached. Thank you and happy Thanksgiving.