The students of the 1965 UBC Physical Education and Education graduate Ray Kimoto have always marveled at his youthfulness and energy. Ray graduated from UBC having played Thunderbird tennis and baseball, the latter under legendary UBC coach Frank Gnup. This was the “early era” of UBC baseball which produced many good players, memories and stories. It was Ray’s admiration for Coach Gnup that caused him to choose to play baseball at UBC. Ray was one of the very early Asian-Canadians to play this sport at UBC.
Ray’s career, one could say, has been that of a life-long teacher together with being an active participant. He was a high school teacher and counsellor in Vernon as well as the high school basketball coach and community tennis coach. Even today, in the minds of his former students and athletes, he is a memorable and influential mentor. Two current UBC employees, Baseball’s Terry McKaig and Development’s Chrissy Benz both from Vernon, fondly remember Mr. Kimoto.
During and following his years as a teacher Ray served as both a volleyball and basketball referee and together with his wife raised two successful children; all the while amazing students and athletes with his fitness. Ray, one of Canada’s best senior tennis players, experienced a highlight in June 2018 when, at the Vancouver Lawn Tennis Club, he won the BC Senior (0ver 80) Tennis Championship. In so doing he (relatively easily) won the semi-finals and final by defeating, coincidentally, two other Thunderbird athletes from another era, Gene Rizak (UBC basketball) and George Morfitt (UBC tennis, badminton) . . . again demonstrating the benefits of the physical fitness/sports aspect of life.
