Rodney Gilyard
Head Coach, Barstow Knights Girls Basketball
Rodney Gilyard is a highly successful leader and coach with more than 25 years of youth athletics experience. He has trained and coached basketball players in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Texas, at elite programs including MV Eclipse, ABA Supreme, KC Future, MO Phenom and 810 Varsity Sports. Coach Gilyard most recently served as club director and coach with the Kansas City Youth Basketball Academy and KC Lady Run GMC.
As a player with the Ottawa University Braves from 1988-1992, Coach Gilyard set records that still stand today. He graduated as the all-time leader in career assists (461) and steals (299). He earned First Team District 10 honors and was a three-time All-KCAC selection, including First Team his senior year. A four-year starter, he finished his Braves career with 60 double-digit scoring games, four double doubles and a 12.2 scoring average. He was inducted into the school’s Braves Hall of Fame in 2015.
As a player with the Ottawa University Braves from 1988-1992, Coach Gilyard set records that still stand today. He graduated as the all-time leader in career assists (461) and steals (299). He earned First Team District 10 honors and was a three-time All-KCAC selection, including First Team his senior year. A four-year starter, he finished his Braves career with 60 double-digit scoring games, four double doubles and a 12.2 scoring average. He was inducted into the school’s Braves Hall of Fame in 2015.
Coach Gilyard’s community involvement includes work with Agape Hoops, Marian Hope Academy, Heartland Autism Society, YMCA and Salvation Army.
He is also a longtime member of the Barstow community. His son, Jacob ’17, helped the Knights win the 2015 Missouri Class 3 state championship and won the DiRenna Award as the top player in Kansas City in 2017. Jacob broke the NCAA all-time steals record at the University of Richmond last year. Rodney Gilyard’s family also includes his wife, Tanya, sons Chris and Roman, and daughter Marleigh.
