Gurganus helped set a standard for Princeton HS

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on July 14, 2016 1:48 PM

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PRINCETON -- During his five-year tenure as athletics director and 11-year stint on the Princeton High School staff, Marty Gurganus constantly shared his passion for coaching and the entire athletics program.

Gurganus became a vital thread in the school's tapestry of success. He emerged as a coach who impacted more students during the years -- inside and outside the classroom -- than the average person could in a lifetime.

But Gurganus won't roam the halls next season.

You won't see him driving the golf cart stocked with water coolers needed at either the football, baseball or softball fields.

There will be no walkie-talkie that squawks from time to time tucked in his back pocket.

Gurganus retired as Princeton's AD in June.

"It's a very special thing to teach and coach at a small 1-A school where you have the privilege to serve not just students, but families," said the goal-oriented Gurganus, who developed a five-year plan designed to target different aspects -- the school, the kids and the community.

"The pride that they feel goes back generations because I'm teaching and coaching kids that not only their parents played for Princeton, but their grand parents and their great-grand parents. The commitment that they feel was something that was taught to them by a generation of their family -- not just their mom and dad. There's just a strong bond there and a commitment that you can feel, it's almost tangible sometimes.

"I feel like I was very blessed to be part of that community and that school."

Gurganus compiled a 76-97 record as head girls' basketball coach. His 2014 team finished 16-10 and endured a season-ending loss at East Columbus in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A sectional finals.

The Bulldogs posted three winning campaigns and made four playoff appearances during his tenure on the bench.

Princeton received the NCHSAA Sportsmanship Award in 2014. Gurganus watched the Bulldogs play for four consecutive eastern regional championships in volleyball and walk away with the state crown in 2014.

The softball team won the state title this past spring.

"We've got some really good coaches who are good people first," Gurganus said. "Because they're good people, there are morals and standards in place and I think, after a while, that's just something that's honored, that works on your behalf down the road.

"When you do things the right way and when you've got coaches that coach the right way, it won't always about winning. It was about loving kids, teaching kids the right way to play the game. After a while those things just work out good for the program."

Gurganus' coaching philosophy changed after the birth of his two sons, Michael and David. He asked for God's guidance to treat all of his students and athletes the way he wanted his sons to be treated.

He prayed each day -- before school, before practice and before games. The goal was to honor and give maximum effort to God, despite the result on the scoreboard.

The close-knit community that eats, breathes, sleeps and lives Princeton athletics easily embraced Gurganus' methodology. The intangible was undoubtedly sports, but he found a way to touch the lives of the community comparable to predecessors Al Musgrave, Ricky Boyette, Mr. Raymond Sugg and legendary football coach Harvey Brooks -- just to name a few.

Still, at the end of the day, his rewards weren't material.

"One day the excitement of those (state, regional and conference) championships are going to fade," Gurganus said. "But what is still going to be there are the relationships and friendships. That means more to me than anything."

Those are the biggest wins of all.