Stanley "Coach" R. Gooch

GOOCH, Stanley R. “Coach” - Of Grand Blanc, age 82, died Monday, April 3, 2017 at the Pines of Burton with his wife at his side.

A Celebration of Life service will be held 2:30pm Saturday, April 8, 2017 at the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 West Hill Road, Flint,

Pastor Josh Combs officiating.

Visitation 11am-6pm Saturday at the funeral home.

A private family burial will take place at Flint Memorial Park.

Stan retired in 2000 after coaching for 41 years in Flint. His coaching career began in 1959 with the sophomore team at Flint Central High School. The following year, he took over the junior varsity team and in 1966, he began coaching the high school varsity team.

In his first season as varsity coach, Stan took the Indians to the state finals for the first time in school history, where they finished as Class A runner-up to Detroit Pershing. He was named the State’s Coach of the Year. The Indians set a school record for victories in a season by going 20-3.

After spending another year at Central, Stan left Central to become the varsity head coach at Flint Junior College (now known as Mott Community College). He spent 10 years as coach of the Bears. He had only one losing season in 10 years there and won seven conference championships.

Stan also coached the Mott golf team. He was selected the Michigan Community College Coach of the Year in 1983 and Community College Golf Coach in 1985 for Region XII which included the community colleges in Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia.

After 10 years at Mott, he returned to become Flint Central’s varsity coach in 1978-79. He spent the rest of his coaching career at Central.

In 1981, Central became the first Class A school to go 28-0 in a season as they won the first state championship in school history. Gooch’s Indians went on to win the state titles in 1982 and 1983. During Stan’s 41 years of coaching, he only had 3 losing records.

Stan has been recognized for his coaching on several occasions. In 1981, he was named BCAM Coach of the year. That same year he was also named Coach of the Year by the Michigan High School Coaches Association and the MSU Alumni Club of Genesee County, and they gave him the same honor in 1983. He also was named Detroit News Coach of the Year, CMU Club of Greater Flint Coach of the Year, and Flint Sales and Marketing Club Educator of the Year. In 1999, The Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association named him the National Regional Coach of the year, an award recognizing his service to high school basketball.

He was inducted into the Greater Flint Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 2009, Stan was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs.

Stan’s playing days consisted of a distinguished high school career at Flint Technical High School where he was captain and most valuable twice, two years at Flint Junior College on teams that went 39-3, and then two years at Central Michigan University. He was CMU’s leading scorer and Most Valuable Player in his senior year.

Stan was a legendary coach, but he was more than that. He loved and enjoyed Life. He loved his family, friends, coaching, his players, traveling, playing golf, playing bridge and so much more. His granddaughters were very special to him. He played with them, read to them, went swimming with them, rode bikes with them, took them to zoos and even rode an elephant with them. They brought joy to his life.

Stan is survived by his wife of 57 years, Pat;

His son, Jim and daughter-in-law, Amy;

Granddaughters, Kalyn and Olivia;

Sisters-in-law, Elaine Gooch and Elsie Elliott (Jim);

And several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, John and his brother, Brian (Bub).

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the nurses and staff at the Pines of Burton. There are so many to thank, but special thanks go to Chelsea and Matt who cared for Stan for years. They would also like to thank Stan’s special friend, Len Mazzei who visited him every week to the very end of his life. Also thanks to one of his ball players, DJ, who also was there for Stan.

In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make memorial contributions to St. Jude Childrens’ Research Hospital, Alzheimer’s Association or a charity of choice.