With a history of success as both a player and a coach, if you ask people around here, many will say San Luis Obispo native Rusty Blair might be the greatest basketball player to ever come out of the Central Coast.
“His famous quote was 'anytime, anywhere, under any conditions,'" said Alex Engel, former Cuesta College basketball player and assistant coach.
"He's a guy you want in your foxhole," added Lawren Ramos, former Cuesta College basketball player.
For 33 seasons, Blair has been the driving force behind Cuesta College’s internationally recognized basketball program.
“I don't think people would have expected that from him plus in college but now Cuesta College is a basketball school,” said Peter Schuler, longtime Cuesta Sports Information Director.
But now, Blair is onto unknown greener pastures after being honored last Friday before the team’s final regular season game.
“It was a sense that I haven't had because I never retired before, I've never been in this position before," Blair said. "It's just time to move on for 33 years.”
In many ways, it was a special night for his family as well, including his son Casey who was his assistant coach for nine seasons before taking over the Cuesta women’s program four years ago.
“That was my favorite night in that gym in 33 years," Blair, who's grown up around the program since he was a little kid, admitted. "Last Friday was my favorite night just to see the overwhelming support that he had throughout his career.”
A San Luis Obispo native, Blair was arguably one of the best players from our area to ever hit the court, holding the all-time scoring record at San Luis Obispo High to go along with an outstanding professional career overseas where he played and coached for over two decades in Belgium and Holland.
“Coach Blair is at the top of the list," Ramos, who played for him from 1998-2000, said. "Even going in as a freshman, he would suit up and get on the floor with us and he had to be 30 to 40 years old at the time and he was still the best player on the court.”
Known for his attention to detail, Coach Blair revolutionized the junior college landscape across the state, mixing in a combination of international and local talent, which helped lead him to 14 20-win seasons and 114 student-athletes moving on to different four-year universities, something Morro Bay Girls Head Coach Alex Engel saw firsthand as his assistant.
“He taught me the little details like showing up early, making sure that you're prepared for your practices," Engel explained. "He helped me get my voice.”
The all-time wins leader in all sports at Cuesta, Blair cited his age and the changing basketball landscape as his reasons for stepping down but if you ask him, it may not be the end.
“Will I have that urge again? Of course I'll have that urge again, so I'm just going to play it day by day," Blair said.
Meanwhile, his son Casey knows that basketball will forever be a part of his dad’s life.
“He's probably going to be watching Cuesta College women's basketball, probably will be watching Morro Bay basketball, Templeton basketball, SLO High basketball. I don't see him stepping away from basketball.”
The men's team is searching for their first playoff win in five years playing Pasadena City College Wednesday while the women are searching for their first playoff win in the last 20 years playing San Diego Mesa on Wednesday as well.
