Friday, June 20, 1997

Cooper basketball coach resigns

By LANCE FLEMING / Abilene Reporter-News

Greg Gober, the most successful coach in Cooper basketball history, is leaving his post to take the head coaching position at Colleyville Heritage High School.

Gober, who was hired June 14, 1994, to replace Jack Aldridge, signed the contract with the school Wednesday night after taking a couple of days to decide whether or not he wanted the job.

"It's definitely the toughest decision I've ever had to make in my life," said Gober, whose three-year record at Cooper was 74-33. "When you have that many people involved (family and players) and you're trying to look out for their emotions - as well as putting yours in the mix - it makes it a tough decision."

It wasn't an open-and-shut case for Gober, however, despite the fact that he was up for the Flower Mound Marcus job last summer, as well as the Arlington Martin post this past spring.

"I wavered on it several times," he said. "But my wife, my family and I felt it was something that would be great for us in the long run."

Heritage will be in its third year of existence in the 1997-98 school year, and has 1,800 students. It is a Class 4A school. Gober said it will probably move up to Class 5A in the next three years.

The 32-year-old Gober came to Cooper in 1991 as an assistant to Aldridge, and the two immediately turned the Cougars' fortunes from dormant to dominant.

Cooper has made the playoffs every year from 1993-1997, and made the Region I-5A tournament the last four seasons. After serving as an assistant for three seasons, Gober was moved up to the head coaching post in the summer of 1994, and he immediately improved on what Aldridge started.

In his first season the Cougars went 27-9, won the second of three straight District 4-5A titles and made it to the Region I-5A championship game where they lost to El Paso Riverside.

The next season the Cougars won another 4-5A title, went 23-11 and lost to top-ranked Euless Trinity in the regional semifinals, 58-55, in overtime. And this past season, the Cougars went 24-13, finished second behind Midland High in district and lost to Fort Worth Dunbar in the regional semifinals.

Despite all the success, Gober said it was time to make a move on one of the many jobs he has been up for over the last two years.

"I just felt like this was the right situation," Gober said. "It's a job that's been available in the past, including last year. But I couldn't get involved because we were still playing games. But I thought this time I had to take a long, hard look at it."

Cooper athletic coordinator Randy Allen is already at work trying to find a replacement for head basketball coach Greg Gober, who resigned Thursday to take a similar post at Colleyville Heritage High School.

Allen said he would like to fill the post immediately.

"We're a month into the summer, so the longer we wait, the fewer guys we'll be able to talk to," Allen said. "I've already started calling some coaches, and hopefully we'll able to start interviewing (today)."

Allen's top priority for the job is a proven head coach with a winning record. However, he did make one exception.

"Anthony Watkins (current Cooper assistant) is the only assistant coach I'll hire," Allen said. "I will not consider another assistant coach."

For his part, Watkins politely declined to comment on the situation, referring all questions about the job to Allen.

Allen thanked Gober for his three years as the head coach at Cooper.

"We always miss any coach that leaves the staff, but Greg has had an excellent relationship with the players here," Allen said. "He's a great motivator and an excellent coach. But he's been trying to get back to the Metroplex and closer to his family, and this was the right opportunity."