July 13, 2012

By Greg Tankersley

To say that Bill Cady is a legend at La Salle High School might be an understatement. The long-time teacher, coach and Christian role model served from the school’s inception and beyond his retirement.

A Christian service award, a scholarship fund and the school’s basketball court are named for Cady, who died June 25 at age 83. Cady embodied La Salle’s “call to serve,” a Lasallian tradition of helping the poor and unfortunate and anyone in need.

La Salle’s ‘Greatest Role Model’
Cady was one of three lay teachers at the Green Township school, which opened in 1960 as part of an expansion of secondary schools of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The Christian Brothers, a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation founded in France by St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the high school’s namesake, operated and staffed the school.

Cady served as a teacher, coach and coordinator of service opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged of Greater Cincinnati. Although he retired from teaching in 1994, he was a daily fixture at school until 2008.

“For five decades Bill Cady served the La Salle community as the greatest role model of what it means to be a genuine Christian man and Lasallian educator,” said Principal Tom Luebbe ’73.

“Legendary are Bill’s love for the alumni of La Salle who were fortunate to experience his teaching and coaching during their high school days, as well as Bill’s servant leadership in truly demonstrating charity and caring for the less fortunate of the Cincinnati community,” he  “Legendary are Bill’s love for the alumni of La Salle who were fortunate to experience his teaching and coaching during their high school days, as well as Bill’s servant leadership in truly demonstrating charity and caring for the less fortunate of the Cincinnati community,” he added.

“La Salle has lost one of our founding educators; heaven has gained a new saint.”

Lasallian Educator
Cady graduated from St. Xavier High School in 1947 and attended Xavier University. He was named to “Who’s Who in Colleges and Universities” in 1951.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps at Parris Island, S.C., for two years.

Before he taught at La Salle, Cady was a business instructor and athletic director at the College of Steubenville (now Franciscan University of Steubenville) for two years and business teacher and coach at McNicholas High School for four years.

At La Salle, Cady primarily taught business and computer science classes for 34 years. He also was audio-visual coordinator.

He received the Christian Brothers’ Distinguished Lasallian Educator Medal. He also received the 1972 Signum Fidei Award for outstanding and devoted service to La Salle.

In addition to his work at La Salle, Cady was director and counselor at Fort Scott Camp for boys for nine years.

Servant Leader
Cady served as Christian Service Coordinator after his 1994 retirement, working part-time.
In 1994, Cady received the Churches Active In Northside (CAIN) Circle Award. He also worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

In recognition of Cady’s example, La Salle honored him with its first Pillar of Faith Award during its 50th anniversary celebration. The award is given annually to an individual in recognition of commitment and dedication to the propagation of the Catholic Faith.

Cady’s influence continues. Each year La Salle bestows The William Cady Christian Service Award to two seniors: one who accrues the most hours in service directly to the poor, needy, less fortunate or infirmed, and the student who accumulates the most service hours overall.

Coach Cady
Cady played varsity basketball for four years and varsity football for three years in high school and was captain of both teams his senior year. He was recognized as All-City and All-State in both sports.

In college, he was first-string freshman basketball and first-string varsity basketball for the next three years. He also played freshman football.

He was a member of the Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame.

Although he was a gifted athlete, Cady made his mark as a coach. While at the College of Steubenville, McNicholas and La Salle, he amassed a record of 441 wins and 236 losses.
He was La Salle’s first basketball coach. He also was head varsity coach for 25 years (1962-63 through 1987-88 school years). He also served as La Salle’s athletic director for 11 years.

At La Salle, his record was 334 wins and 223 losses – a .600 winning percentage. Under Cady, the La Salle Lancers won 6 Greater Catholic League (CGL) championships, 10 Sectional championships and 3 Regional championships, and made 3 state Final Four appearances.

In 1988, Cady was named to the Ohio High School Basketball Hall of Fame with 406 varsity high school victories and to the St. Xavier Hall of Fame. In 1989, he was selected to Buddy LaRosa’s Hall of Fame. In 1991, he was named to the Sorrento’s Hamilton County Sports Hall of Fame. And after his retirement, he was selected to La Salle’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.

La Salle’s basketball court was named after Cady in 2005. Members of Cady’s 1967, 1977 and 1979 state Final Four teams appeared at the dedication ceremony.

For information on the Bill Cady Legacy Fund at La Salle, visit www.lasallehs.net/cady.