In addition to his vast success as a high-school basketball coach throughout the metro area, the late Jim Spiridopoulos is being remembered for his unique, passionate and tireless involvement and dedication to the sport and to his players.

Spiridopoulos, known to many as “Spiro”, died April 29 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 80.

Spiridopoulos coached basketball at seven different high schools, including most recently as a volunteer coach for the Hilton Head girls team in South Carolina. He coached both girls and boys private- and public-school teams along the way.

“He had a huge impact on hundreds of players over many years,” said Emily Garner, who played in high school for Spiridopoulos and is the current head women’s head coach at Cornell University. “He was an absolute people-first type of coach and person. He helped players see what they were capable of doing. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have played for him.”

After playing basketball in college at High Point University, Spiridopoulos’ high-school coaching career began as a 22-year-old boys assistant at DeMatha High in Maryland, where he graduated in 1965 and played the sport.

He moved on to Sidwell Friends in DC, then George Mason , Bishop O’Connell and Robinson in Northern Virginia, and finally back to Maryland for one season at Holy Child, before retiring and moving to Hilton Head 20 years ago.

His George Mason girls team won a Virginia High School League state championship in 1998, with his O’Connell girls squads winning city and conference crowns.

For his efforts, Spiridopoulos received various Coach of the Year honors, and was been inducted into athletic halls of fame at both O’Connell and George Mason (now Meridian) high schools.

Bill Rohland was an assistant coach under Spiridopoulos for multiple teams.

“Jim cared about the kids and what happened to them,” Rohland told ARLnow. “The proof was when he turned 80 he received a lot of birthday cards from his former players. He knew and understood how to listen to his players, and had a huge impact on a lot of people in Northern Virginia.”

Rohland said Spiridopoulos was always thinking basketball, sometimes using salt-and-pepper shakers when dining at restaurants to design a play.

Former Marymount University head women’s basketball coach Bill Finney liked and trusted Spiridopoulos so much he sent his two daughters, Cathy and Christie, to play for him at O’Connell. The two also were golfing buddies for many years and were neighbors as retirees in Hilton Head.

“He taught the game of basketball well to players, and was a strong fundamentals coach,” Bill Finney said.

Cathy Finney said Spiridopoulos was more than a coach — at one point helping her learn how to drive a stick shift.

“My dad trusted him to do that,” she said. “He remained in my life over the years in so many aspects. He was so much more than a coach in our lives. We had it so good when he was our coach at O’Connell.”

Added Cathy Finney’s sister Christie: “Spiro was such a fun, fair and intelligent coach. He was really a great leader and was so good at having us play well as a team.”

Spiridopoulos is survived by his wife of 57 years, Gretchen; a daughter, Lisa, and son, Greg; grandchildren Audrey, Mackenzie and Bryce; and a sister, Mary.

A celebration of Spiridopoulos’ life is being planned at the end of May.