June 13, 2016
By Charles Goldberg
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. - Robert Dillard was there before the fancy buildings, the trips to the NCAAs, before there was even college gymnastics in Alabama.
Robert Dillard, one of the pioneers of gymnastics in the state and Auburn's coach from 1986-1998, passed away Sunday night. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood, in 2005.
Dillard helped gymnastics find its way in the state, first coaching a YMCA team in Huffman, then winning national titles at Jacksonville State. He led Auburn to 10 NCAA regionals.
Years later, he would help current Auburn gymnastics coach Jeff Graba.
''Coach Dillard was very helpful in getting me started here at Auburn and am privileged to have used him as a resource throughout my time here,'' Graba said. "His support and energy helped me immensely and I will be forever thankful for that. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Mary Lou and the family.''
Dillard's place in state gymnastics was assured by the time Sarah Patterson arrived to begin her successful run at Alabama.
They became friendly coaching rivals. Monday, she said her admiration for Dillard grew after he left college athletics to return his roots, helping young gymnasts on their way up.
"What I admired so much about Robert is continued to coach to make a difference in people's lives," Patterson said. "He didn't have to coach at the highest level in college to be successful. So many people, when they get to the pinnacle, don't want to go back and coach athletes in the developmental stage. That's why I have so much respect for Robert. He was willing to do that."
The coaching Pattersons, Sarah and David, rallied around Dillard when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. David, Sarah's husband, had also battled cancer, and they knew of the fight.
But Sarah Patterson said Dillard did not use his illness as an excuse. He continued to help young gymnasts, and traveled with his wife to gymnastics meet where she judged.
"He had a huge impact on a lot of athletes," Patterson said.
She pointed to former Alabama gymnast Laura Lee Frost.
"He coached her for 10 years," Patterson said. "She, along with so many other people, credits him for their love for gymnastics. He was just a special person. I never, ever heard complain about his illness. All he talked about was his daughters and his grandchildren. It was never about him."
David Patterson saluted Dillard in 2005.
"When he left college coaching he went right back to work with young kids again. That shows his love for the sport," David Patterson said.
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Dillard was a successful gymnastics coach before he got to Auburn, working with his YMCA team in Huffman before moving to Jacksonville State in 1984 where he compiled a 201-67 record and won national titles in 1984 and 1985.
"The Division II people didn't know who we were and we walked in and won everything," Dillard said in 2005.
He spent 10 years at Jacksonville State. Then Auburn called. The Pattersons were already at Alabama then, and Auburn was trying to up its game.
But then in 1996, the Sports Arena, which housed all of Auburn's gymnastics equipment and history, caught fire during the Auburn-LSU football game. Fans could see smoke rise above Jordan-Hare Stadium. They hoped for the best. Dillard said he knew better.
"I jumped up and ran over there," Dillard said. ''I stood there and watched it burn a long time.
"We had to start from scratch.''
But Auburn bounced back and made the regionals that year.
"The girls probably learned the best lesson you can learn in life: You can have something one day and it can be gone the next day. You have to work with what you've got," Dillard would say.
Out of the ashes rose the McWhorter Center that houses Auburn gymnastics today.
"I'd like to think I played some role in that," Dillard said.
Charles Goldberg is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @AUGoldMine