Fenwick High School water polo coach Dave Perry, a well-known coach who brought the Oak Park school’s program to prominence, lost his battle with cancer Sunday.

Perry, 63, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, was 711-70-1 in 24 seasons at Fenwick and 793-143-2 in 32 overall. The team won its eighth consecutive state title and ninth in the 10-year history of the tournament in May.

“The best thing I can say about coach Perry is the relationship he had with his players,” said Athletic Director Scott Thies, who started at the school in 2003. “The bond he had went so far beyond the average player-coach relationship.”

He died Sunday morning at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, according to family members. He was sick for most of the summer, only spending a dozen days at home since being admitted to the hospital June 17, said his wife, Marianne Perry.

“He was just an incredible man,” said his wife of 35 years. “Everyone really liked him, from parents to kids to friends to family, it was just incredible.”

Perry was coaching in limited capacity last year, but did coach in the state championship. His son, Kyle, assisted him.

“This one means the most for two reasons,” a teary-eyed Perry told the Chicago Tribune after the victory in May. “One because of what’s happened with me, and two because of how this team has come together. I don’t think anybody imagined we would have gone undefeated.

“This took my breath away.”

Thies said his strongest memory, and testament to what Perry meant to the school, was the reaction of the crowd when he appeared at the state championship.

“The standing ovation that he received, it’s something that I will never forget,” Thies said.

Mike Curtin, Fenwick’s former athletic director of 21 years, called Perry “the guy in Illinois water polo” who had students seek out his program due to Perry’s reputation. Curtin said, even when the illness was really taking a toll on him physically, he “fought the good fight” and tried to stay as involved as possible.

“I know it sounds trite and you hear it all the time, but he left an impact on, literally, thousands of kids,” Curtin said. “That’s quite a legacy. I’m going to miss him. I already miss him.”

The high school held a special Mass for Perry Monday morning. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Sept. 16 at Fenwick High School’s Lawless Gym. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 17 at St. Vincent Ferrer, 1530 Jackson Ave., River Forest.

Perry is survived by his wife, Marianne, and his children, Kyle and Liz.