Ex-Washington coach Byrd dies

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:26AM

Former Washington High School basketball coach Willie Byrd died Friday afternoon. He was 65.

After coaching the boys team at the South Side school for a year, Byrd took over the girls program. In 1991, he coached the Minutewomen to the city title, snapping a 13-year string of city titles by Marshall.

Byrd, who married former Roosevelt High School and Notre Dame standout Danielle Green, led Washington to second place in the 2000 Class AA girls tournament, falling in overtime 60-53 to Buffalo Grove in the title game.

"I first met him when I was a player in high school and he was a coach," Danielle Byrd said. "He cared so much about all the girls and about the game of basketball, even when he stopped coaching.

"He was great to me and he was great to a lot of girls on the South Side. He will be missed."

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