Cross Country: Gordon Aldrich Named Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach
Alma, Mi.- Alma College announced today that long time Corunna High School coach Gordon Aldrich has been hired to fill the newly created full-time Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach position.
When John Leister was named the permanent Director of Athletics earlier this summer, one of his first decisions was to group the part-time cross country and track & field coaching positions into one full-time position. After a short search, Gordon Aldrich immediatley rose to the top as the best candidate for the job and the Alma College Athletic Department is pleased to welcome him into the coaching family.
Aldrich has spent the better part of the last three decades coaching in the high school ranks with unbelievable success. During his 26 years as a varsity Boy’s and Girl’s Cross Country Coach, Aldrich has won a Girls Open State Championship (1978), a Girls State Championship (1995), two Boy’s State Championships (1994, 1997), and was Runner-up on seven other occasions. During the same time, Aldrich coached teams to 17 conference championships, was nominated for the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Coach of the Year 12 times for cross country, and walked away with the award four times (1994, 1995, 1996, and 1998). He was also named the Boy’s Cross Country National Coach of the Year in 1999 by the National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association.
As impressive as Coach Aldrich’ cross country resume is, it in no way overshadows what he has done in Track & Field. In 30 years of high school coaching, Aldrich brought home four state championships and 21 conference championships. He was named the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1985, 1986 1987, 1988, and 1998. Aldrich was also honored with Michigan High School Coaches Association Track Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1998, and has received the Charles Sweeney Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame Track & Field Award.
When asked about what has drawn him to coaching Aldrich responded, “In the realm of education, interscholastic athletics is one of the few remaining places where the ideals of competition, profit motive, individual initiative and the worth and dignity of the individual can still be taught and great lessons learned by the student athletes.”
Talking about his expectations for the Alma College Cross Country and Track & Field programs, “I have won championships in Boy’s and Girl’s Track & Field and/or Cross Country at every school I have coached at. The expectations here will be no different.”
The first change Coach Aldrich made at Alma College- having the NCAA Division III National Championship date added to his Cross Country Schedule.
Aldrich completed his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University with a major in Physical Education and a minor in Social Science in 1971. He received an MA in Education Administration from Central Michigan University in 1990. He currently resides in Corunna, Mi. with his wife Jennifer Jean. Gordon has three kids; Robin, Lance, and Jared who all have graduated from Michigan State University.
Posted: Wed, August 1st, 2007 at 2:01PM
