49-YEAR COACHING CAREER HONORED

Track and field’s Bob Hosier retirement noted by athletes and coaches

PERKASIE >> Family members told Bob Hosier they were taking him out to eat.

What the retiring Pennridge High School track and field coach didn’t know until they pulled up to the Ram’s beer garden early on the afternoon of July 31, though, was that they’d be eating with former and current Pennridge athletes, competing coaches, Pennridge teachers and others there for a surprise party honoring the long-time coach.

Along with 49 years of coaching track and field, about 35 of those years as head coach,

Hosier also coached football for a period at the school. Between spring and fall track and field seasons and football, that came to a total of 103 seasons, information at the party showed.

“I look at him as a mentor,” said Kevin Wills, who has been an assistant coach to Hosier since 2001 and teaches an American History course Hosier once taught.

“He’s taught me a lot about teaching, also a lot about life,” Wills said.

“The way I look at it is, and I think every one of the athletes here will say the same thing, he has inspired and motivated so many athletes,” Wills said.

One of the things that helped make Hosier successful was that he made changes over the years, Wills said.

“He could relate to kids and he could adapt to the kids,” he said.

Jay Jones, North Penn’s track and field head coach, was one of the competing coaches at the party.

“He’s a good man. He held his kids to a high standard,” Jones said of Hosier.

“It’s unfortunate it’s increasingly rare to see coaches that put kids first and base their decisions on what’s best for the kid. Hosier is one of those men. It’s a shame to see him go,” Jones said.

As a competitor, Jones said, he wants his athletes to compete against the best and said Hosier brought out the best in the athletes he coached.

“He’ll absolutely be missed in the area, and across the state for that matter, because his kids always competed very well,” Jones said.

Kim Gant, the mother of Pennridge track and field star Joey Gant, who will be a senior this year, said one of the most important parts of Hosier’s coaching is the development of character.

“He focuses so much on character,” she said.

Hosier said he enjoys seeing students he coached and taught getting out of college and getting good jobs.

“The kids at Pennridge have always been so good, always,” he said.

In answer to a question of what kept him going and his ability to bridge the multiple generations he coached, he said, “I think the biggest thing was the older I got, the more I listened to the athletes.”

The decision to retire from coaching was a difficult one, the Coopersburg resident said.

“I would’ve liked to have gone 50, but I just couldn’t do it any more,” Hosier said.

In 2008, he retired from teaching after having taught history at Pennridge High School for 36 years, he said.

“I loved every second of it,” Hosier said. “I hope the students took something with them from that.”

Wills described Hosier as a great motivator and a role model to many people. Hosier’s retirement is a big loss to both Pennridge and the track community as a whole, Wills said.

“He is just a tremendous individual, a tremendous coach,” Wills said.

BOB KEELER — MEDIANEWS GROUP Christie Eissler, left, mother of former Pennridge High School track and field team members Matt and Luke Eissler, and Kim Gant, mother of current team member Joey Gant, greet Coach Bob Hosier at a surprise party honoring Hosier, who has retired after 49years of coaching.

BOB KEELER — MEDIANEWS GROUP A sign sends a message at the surprise party honoring Bob Hosier, who retired after 49 years as Pennridge High School’s track and field coach.

BOB KEELER — MEDIANEWS GROUP Retiring Pennridge track and field Coach Bob Hosier chats with attendees at a surprise party July 31 at the Ram’s beer garden in Perkasie.