After more than 25 years in the Goodrich basketball program, Gary Barns still enjoys coming to practice each day and teaching the game to young men and women each year.
Barns is in his 16th year as the Goodrich varsity boys basketball coach, after spending the previous 10 years as an assistant coach. He also recently concluded his eighth year as the junior varsity girls basketball coach.
During that time, Goodrich Athletic Director Al Martus said Barns has impacted the lives of those he has coached in a positive way.
‘He’s the heart and soul of Goodrich basketball,? Martus said. ‘He loves the game, he loves the kids and what he does. I think he does a wonderful job. I respect him very much and what he does.?
Barns said there is a unique story behind his eventually becoming the Martians? head coach.
‘When John Bishop was the head coach and John Joslin was an assistant coach, I did some scouting for them in the late 70s,? he said. ‘One year, Joslin was offered the JV coaching job, and I came on as an assistant. The next year, Bishop resigned, then Joslin became the varsity coach and I became his assistant.?
That relationship continued until around 1989, when Joslin stepped down as Goodrich’s coach. Barns said he and Joe Pruchenicki, then the Martians? varsity football coach, teamed up to coach the varsity boys basketball team. The next year, Barns became the full-time varsity head coach.
Barns said the Martians encountered some tough breaks in his first year as the head coach.
‘We lost six games by one point, and we lost the finals of our district by two points in overtime,? he said. ‘The next year, we took second place in our league, and the ship started coming around.?
The next milestone for the Martians was winning a district championship, which had not been accomplished since 1979. In 1996, the Martians ended that drought, defeating Hamady in the semifinals and Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes in the finals to capture their district championship.
‘Things started falling into place,? Barns said.
From that point, the Martians were consistent contenders for the Genesee Area Conference championship until last season, when the Martians finished below .500 for the first time in 15 years. Goodrich is seeking to start a new string of winning seasons this year, and the team is off to a 3-0 start as of press time.
The Martians have gone undefeated during the regular season on two different occassions, in 1997 and 1999. In 1997, they finished 21-1, while in 1999, the Martians advanced to the regional finals and finished 24-1.
‘We’ve had a lot of good kids and good parents,? he said.
Barns said one of his proudest accomplishments is implementing the fifth and sixth grade boys basketball league in Goodrich. During the league’s first year, there were 22 teams, but during the next few years, the Martians began incorporating other schools into the program.
Currently, he said there are about 60 teams between Goodrich, Montrose and Linden in the program.
The coaching bug has also spread to two of Barns? children. Son David is an assistant with the varsity boys team, and also works for the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills, while daughter Sarah is an assistant with the junior varsity girls basketball team.
In addition, one of his former players, Jared St. Charles (an all-state selection in 1998-99), current teaches and coaches in Florida.
Another tradition Barns is proud of is the annual alumni basketball game, which he organizes each year. He said it is a chance to get reacquainted with his former players.
‘All the alumni are very supportive and come back,? he said. ‘It’s kind of like a family.?