At George Brown College (GBC) Casa Loma campus, the gymnasium is under construction and will be until the fall of 2015. Students are advocating for the gym to be named the Albert DaSilva Athletic Centre, already nicknamed the DaSilva Den.

Albert DaSilva’s official title is the intramural co-ordinator at GBC but that doesn’t cover half of his involvement for students and athletes.

He has been a part of the Huskies ever since Alex Barbier, the late athletic manager, recruited him from Central Commerce High School in the 1970s to play and attend George Brown.

DaSilva is a whole-hearted man who sweats passion for GBC through his coaching and by acting as a confidant for many students.

This year is his 32nd year as full-time staff member for George Brown and he has watched as the Casa Loma gym was built and now as it is renovated.

DaSilva has been involved with the athletics department since 1973 while also being a student at GBC. Although he has had the opportunity to retire for about 10 years now, he can’t seem to pry himself away.

DaSilva also gives back to the community. He has volunteered for 10 years for the Toronto Triple Threat basketball, coaching boys and girls 10-18 years old. He also organizes basketball tournaments for junior and senior boys, as well as the varsity men’s basketball tournaments.

One word to sum up Dasilva’s influence on GBC would be “amigo,” which is also DaSilva’s catch phrase, and something he calls many of the students.

http://dialog.studentassociation.ca/index.php/albert-dasilva-monumental-impact/