Coach Darrel Gardner is a special history and social dance teacher. He was also an excellent coach of the Track&Field and Cross Country teams. I remember on our track and cross country trips he would drive the bus and pep talk us over the loud speaker the whole way. He took special notice of every student on his teams, making sure to teach them how to push their boundaries beyond what they though possible. I remember him running along side with us during practice in his cowboy boots and wranglers.

As a dance instructor he would teach all students how to be proper and respectful to the opposite sex. Every year he taught at Emery he choreographed the school’s Prom’s promenade dance, spending hours and hours making sure every student would have a wonderful and memorable dance at Prom. He would never allow a single girl in the class to go un-escorted, even volunteering himself to perform the promenade dance with her.

Coach was nominated by the entire student body to carry the Olympic flame in 2002. He ended up carrying it along the route near Richfield.

Unfortunately, this summer he was killed in a farming accident on his property in Cleveland, UT.

I nominate this wonderful man for the Teacher Feature. He left behind a wonderful small family and thousands of loving students and student athletes.

–Daniel Farr