History Links Past To Present
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Warsaw football coach Phil Jensen had never met Bill Goshert before Wednesday, but they are linked by a piece of history. Linked like Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were to Roger Maris.
Goshert made history in 1964, five years before a man walked on the moon and one year after JFK was assassinated, when he guided Warsaw's football team through a 10-0 season.
Where was Jensen, Warsaw's current skipper, in 1964? Well, he was born April 6, 1965.
Since Goshert's perfect season 35 years ago, the best start by a Tiger team had been 6-0 in 1992. Under Ted Huber Warsaw went 6-0 in 1992 before losing to NorthWood 26-0. Warsaw finished with a season record of 7-2. In fact, the last time the Tigers went through a gridiron season with only one loss was 1982 under Kevin Westover, when they compiled a 9-1 record, their only loss of the season coming in the second game, 7-6 to Fort Wayne Snider.
The 1999 Tigers are 7-0. Wins tonight and next Friday over Northern Lakes Conference rivals NorthWood and Concord, and a win at home over state power Penn, Jensen's alma mater, on Oct. 22 in the first round of the state tournament would put Jensen's name next to Goshert's in the Tiger pantheon.
Before they met Wednesday afternoon, Goshert spoke very highly of this man he hadn't met.
"I don't know coach Jensen, but I have a lot of respect for him because the kids are responding," he said. "And kids are good judges of character."
The kids are responding. From 2-7 in Jensen's first year, the Tigers have gone 6-4 and 5-6 to where they are presently. Goshert took the reins from Frank Sanders in 1956, a year after the Tigers went 3-7. Just as they were for Jensen, times were tough at first for Goshert.
"I came into a program that had just won three games, and we didn't win a game the first year I was here. We were 0-8," said Goshert. "I can appreciate the sleepless nights he's had. But he has them believing, and that's the secret to it."
Goshert, who coached Warsaw for nine years, 1956-1964, made believers of his teams too. In his last four years, Warsaw compiled a 30-9 record. Goshert went to Fort Wayne North after that undefeated season.
Thursday afternoon in his office, Jensen was asked what he knew about this piece of history.
"My first year as an assistant at Wawasee I was also an assistant basketball coach for Gary Goshert," said Jensen, who has directed Warsaw to a 20-17 record in almost four years. "So I heard about coach (Bill) Goshert (Gary's uncle) from coach (Gary) Goshert. I'm not a big record book kind of guy. To say that I sat down and studied, I didn't. Obviously I knew about George Fisher. The field is named after him. I knew I was the third coach in three years and that some work needed to be done. From then I've looked at what needs to be accomplished, not at the past."
But Wednesday afternoon, just before the sun began to set, and in front of 60-some pairs of curious eyes, the past met the present.
The confrontation was short, probably less than five minutes. But in their handshake and brief conversation a generation gap was closed. Both smiled and greeted with "Coach, nice to meet you." The respect these two strangers had for each other was apparent.
"I take a great deal of pride in the way he's establishing football," said Goshert. "It's a school plenty large enough for two sports, or even three or four. It's great to see us knocking heads in there with the big boys."
Goshert showed Jensen the game-used football from Warsaw's final victory of the 1964 season, a 40-20 win at Peru. The ball contained little, if any, air, and the players' signatures were all but faded over time, but as the picture accompanying this story shows, Jensen seemed interested in the history lesson. While walking away Goshert made the comment, "I hope you get one too."
Whether or not Jensen gets a game ball from an undefeated season remains to be seen. For now he tells a story of a picture of two Tigers.
As the story goes, Jensen's wife bought him a picture of an eagle, Churubusco's mascot, the school he coached at before moving to Warsaw. He hung it at the school.
As the story goes on, Jensen tells you his wife bought him a second picture, the one of the tigers. It was nothing special, just a normal wooden frame. He tucked it away. His eyes light up when he tells you he is a firm believer in destiny. He says the day he found out he got the job at Warsaw he uncovered this very picture. It now hangs above his desk.
One of the biggest similarities Goshert said he sees in these two teams is the closeness of the players. Goshert said as the season went along, he spent even more time with his team, especially before the big games, like the one the current Tigers will be involved in tonight when they host the Class 3A No. 5 6-1 NorthWood Panthers.
"As time went on and the pressure mounted, I had them spend more time with me," said Goshert. "When we got to be 9-0, they spent every night with me after dinner. They had to know I was taking this serious. When I thought they were lax, we watched more game film. And kids don't like to do that."
Goshert's advice to the 1999 Tigers: "You have to show a lot of character," he says. It's a one-game schedule. You can't look ahead. If you do, you'll stumble."
Goshert said numerous times in the interview one of the biggest things that made his team successful was the fraternity it had. He smiles and gives you an example of how close Warsaw's football team was back then.
"They knew my wife loved watermelon," he says. "So we go over to Peru and win the last game of the season, and the next morning my porch has the biggest pile of watermelons on it, for my wife. So I had to return all of it to Kroger, but that's the kind of relationship we had. We had a great one."
Said Jensen: "I get a kick out of just watching the kids perform, watching them discover they're better than they thought they could be. I like watching that maturing process. I'm getting to the point where kids that used to play for me either watch or call to talk about something. Having coach (Burt) McLaughlin on the staff has been neat because he played for me my first year at Churubusco. He was an all-state quarterback, and he led Churubusco to its first conference championship."
Just like Greg Seiss, eighth in the state in passing, could lead Warsaw to its first sectional championship. Jensen says he really believes that with some good luck and mental preparation, these Tigers could win the state championship.
Just for the record, Jensen's wife likes strawberries.
TIGER TALES
BILL GOSHERT
High school graduated - Warsaw
Years coached at Warsaw- 9 (1956-1964)
Overall record at Warsaw- 42-41-2
1956 - 0-8
1957 - 2-7-1
1958 - 4-5
1959 - 1-7-1
1960 - 5-5
1961 - 7-2
1962 - 5-5
1963 - 8-2
1964 - 10-0
PHIL JENSEN
High school graduated - Penn
Years coached at Warsaw- currently in 4th season (1996-present)
Overall record at Warsaw - 20-17
1996 - 2-7
1997 - 6-4
1998 - 5-6
1999 - 7-0 (present)
Warsaw's Undefeated Seasons
1942 -ÊGeorge Fisher, 8-0
1952 -ÊFrank Sanders, 9-0
1964 -ÊBill Goshert, 10-0 [[In-content Ad]]
Warsaw football coach Phil Jensen had never met Bill Goshert before Wednesday, but they are linked by a piece of history. Linked like Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were to Roger Maris.
Goshert made history in 1964, five years before a man walked on the moon and one year after JFK was assassinated, when he guided Warsaw's football team through a 10-0 season.
Where was Jensen, Warsaw's current skipper, in 1964? Well, he was born April 6, 1965.
Since Goshert's perfect season 35 years ago, the best start by a Tiger team had been 6-0 in 1992. Under Ted Huber Warsaw went 6-0 in 1992 before losing to NorthWood 26-0. Warsaw finished with a season record of 7-2. In fact, the last time the Tigers went through a gridiron season with only one loss was 1982 under Kevin Westover, when they compiled a 9-1 record, their only loss of the season coming in the second game, 7-6 to Fort Wayne Snider.
The 1999 Tigers are 7-0. Wins tonight and next Friday over Northern Lakes Conference rivals NorthWood and Concord, and a win at home over state power Penn, Jensen's alma mater, on Oct. 22 in the first round of the state tournament would put Jensen's name next to Goshert's in the Tiger pantheon.
Before they met Wednesday afternoon, Goshert spoke very highly of this man he hadn't met.
"I don't know coach Jensen, but I have a lot of respect for him because the kids are responding," he said. "And kids are good judges of character."
The kids are responding. From 2-7 in Jensen's first year, the Tigers have gone 6-4 and 5-6 to where they are presently. Goshert took the reins from Frank Sanders in 1956, a year after the Tigers went 3-7. Just as they were for Jensen, times were tough at first for Goshert.
"I came into a program that had just won three games, and we didn't win a game the first year I was here. We were 0-8," said Goshert. "I can appreciate the sleepless nights he's had. But he has them believing, and that's the secret to it."
Goshert, who coached Warsaw for nine years, 1956-1964, made believers of his teams too. In his last four years, Warsaw compiled a 30-9 record. Goshert went to Fort Wayne North after that undefeated season.
Thursday afternoon in his office, Jensen was asked what he knew about this piece of history.
"My first year as an assistant at Wawasee I was also an assistant basketball coach for Gary Goshert," said Jensen, who has directed Warsaw to a 20-17 record in almost four years. "So I heard about coach (Bill) Goshert (Gary's uncle) from coach (Gary) Goshert. I'm not a big record book kind of guy. To say that I sat down and studied, I didn't. Obviously I knew about George Fisher. The field is named after him. I knew I was the third coach in three years and that some work needed to be done. From then I've looked at what needs to be accomplished, not at the past."
But Wednesday afternoon, just before the sun began to set, and in front of 60-some pairs of curious eyes, the past met the present.
The confrontation was short, probably less than five minutes. But in their handshake and brief conversation a generation gap was closed. Both smiled and greeted with "Coach, nice to meet you." The respect these two strangers had for each other was apparent.
"I take a great deal of pride in the way he's establishing football," said Goshert. "It's a school plenty large enough for two sports, or even three or four. It's great to see us knocking heads in there with the big boys."
Goshert showed Jensen the game-used football from Warsaw's final victory of the 1964 season, a 40-20 win at Peru. The ball contained little, if any, air, and the players' signatures were all but faded over time, but as the picture accompanying this story shows, Jensen seemed interested in the history lesson. While walking away Goshert made the comment, "I hope you get one too."
Whether or not Jensen gets a game ball from an undefeated season remains to be seen. For now he tells a story of a picture of two Tigers.
As the story goes, Jensen's wife bought him a picture of an eagle, Churubusco's mascot, the school he coached at before moving to Warsaw. He hung it at the school.
As the story goes on, Jensen tells you his wife bought him a second picture, the one of the tigers. It was nothing special, just a normal wooden frame. He tucked it away. His eyes light up when he tells you he is a firm believer in destiny. He says the day he found out he got the job at Warsaw he uncovered this very picture. It now hangs above his desk.
One of the biggest similarities Goshert said he sees in these two teams is the closeness of the players. Goshert said as the season went along, he spent even more time with his team, especially before the big games, like the one the current Tigers will be involved in tonight when they host the Class 3A No. 5 6-1 NorthWood Panthers.
"As time went on and the pressure mounted, I had them spend more time with me," said Goshert. "When we got to be 9-0, they spent every night with me after dinner. They had to know I was taking this serious. When I thought they were lax, we watched more game film. And kids don't like to do that."
Goshert's advice to the 1999 Tigers: "You have to show a lot of character," he says. It's a one-game schedule. You can't look ahead. If you do, you'll stumble."
Goshert said numerous times in the interview one of the biggest things that made his team successful was the fraternity it had. He smiles and gives you an example of how close Warsaw's football team was back then.
"They knew my wife loved watermelon," he says. "So we go over to Peru and win the last game of the season, and the next morning my porch has the biggest pile of watermelons on it, for my wife. So I had to return all of it to Kroger, but that's the kind of relationship we had. We had a great one."
Said Jensen: "I get a kick out of just watching the kids perform, watching them discover they're better than they thought they could be. I like watching that maturing process. I'm getting to the point where kids that used to play for me either watch or call to talk about something. Having coach (Burt) McLaughlin on the staff has been neat because he played for me my first year at Churubusco. He was an all-state quarterback, and he led Churubusco to its first conference championship."
Just like Greg Seiss, eighth in the state in passing, could lead Warsaw to its first sectional championship. Jensen says he really believes that with some good luck and mental preparation, these Tigers could win the state championship.
Just for the record, Jensen's wife likes strawberries.
TIGER TALES
BILL GOSHERT
High school graduated - Warsaw
Years coached at Warsaw- 9 (1956-1964)
Overall record at Warsaw- 42-41-2
1956 - 0-8
1957 - 2-7-1
1958 - 4-5
1959 - 1-7-1
1960 - 5-5
1961 - 7-2
1962 - 5-5
1963 - 8-2
1964 - 10-0
PHIL JENSEN
High school graduated - Penn
Years coached at Warsaw- currently in 4th season (1996-present)
Overall record at Warsaw - 20-17
1996 - 2-7
1997 - 6-4
1998 - 5-6
1999 - 7-0 (present)
Warsaw's Undefeated Seasons
1942 -ÊGeorge Fisher, 8-0
1952 -ÊFrank Sanders, 9-0
1964 -ÊBill Goshert, 10-0 [[In-content Ad]]