Elyria Catholic has assured that Bob Guinta will continue to have a lasting impact on the community.

The school dedicated the Coliseum floor to the legendary boys basketball coach on August 20, as it is now called “Coach Guinta Court.”

The 94-year-old was present at this moment with his wife Shirley and his son David. Family means a lot to the Guintas, and that definitely includes his basketball family.

“I enjoyed being there (it was great),” Guinta said.

Guinta coached at Elyria Catholic from 1966 to 1988, where he won 329 games, 10 conference championships and seven district championships. He was inducted into the Elyria Sports Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Ohio Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1991.

The court was renovated this summer and the new, renovated surface now bears his signature, thanks to donors who contributed to the Coach Guinta Court Endowment Fund.

“By naming the Coliseum playground in honor of Coach Bob Guinta, we remember a coach and celebrate a legacy,” said Annie Heidersbach, president of Elyria Catholic, in a press release. “From 1968 to 1988, Coach Guinta was a teacher, coach, mentor, role model and pillar of the community. This field, which now bears his name, will forever stand as a testament to his lasting impact on our school.”

“It is a legacy that we as a community are responsible for preserving. We want to ensure that future generations are inspired by the same values ​​that Coach Guinta embodied every day.”

To this day, nothing brings more excitement to Guinta’s world than basketball. He still enjoys reading the sports page and can always remember a face of one of his basketball players at Elyria Catholic.

He is being visited by a number of former players, and some of them were at the ceremony. Bob and Shirley’s son David flew in from California, along with three of his five children, to attend the ceremony as well. It was a week of excitement for the family.

“I’ve seen a big change in the last month,” said Shirley Guinta. “Our son David brought three of our grandchildren and (Bob) was overjoyed to see the children. It was two days of laughter and playing around with them.”

For nearly 60 years, the Guintas burned green and white. All four of their children attended EC, and it was an important part of their lives. As much as he influenced his players, being part of the Panther community also had a strong impact on him and his family.

This brings things full circle, because “Coach Guinta Court” will live on.

“He’s still such an Elyria Catholic,” Shirley said. “Even though we don’t watch the games, he still loves it. He was honored by Elyria Catholic, and unlike so many people who die before they get those honors, it was so nice that (he was able to be there) and he smiled big because he knew how important it was. I’m very thankful to Elyria Catholic.”