Dean Evans
Inducted 1999

Dean Evans, a lifelong resident of Gorham, was one of the most successful high schools cross country coaches ever in the state of Maine. He coached from 1954 through 1974, his teams winning five state titles and were New England representatives six times. His career win/loss record was 213/9, which includes 78 straight wins. His teams went unbeaten at home from 1958 through 1973. Evans was also a fine basketball coach for 12 years. His 1968 team won the state title. Following his retirement from coaching, Evans became a highly respected athletic director at Gorham High for 17 years before finally retiring from education in 1987.

Evans grew up and Gorham and played basketball and ran track and cross country. Cross country was his favorite sport. He was a respectable runner, but Gorham teams in those days were not strong. "In those days running wasn't popular," he said. .

Graduating from Gorham High in 1950, he went to Gorham State Teachers College, but he played no sports. He received his degree in education in 1954 and his first teaching job was at Gorham High where he taught history and where he would spend his entire teaching and coaching career, some 33 years total.

His service to Gorham includes successful tours as head coach of track, cross country and basketball. His cross country teams claimed Class B state titles in 1960, 1962, 1970, and 1971. His teams won 17 triple C championships, 8 southwestern Maine championships, 5 state titles, and were six times state representative at the New Englands.

So noteworthy was his coaching success in cross country that even Sports Illustrated took notice. Featured in "Faces in the Crowd," in one issue, it reads, "Dean Evans, 40, the cross country coach at Gorham High, won his 79th straight league meet over a seven year period when the Rams beat . Freeport 18 to 44. He has coached five state champions and been awarded the league trophy 16 of his 18 years."

One of the highlights of his coaching career was when his cross country team won the state title in 1962. His teams had a regular season streak of 78 consecutive wins. Evans was named coach of the year three times by the Maine Coaches Association.

For the school year 1984/1985, Evans was named Athletic Director of the Year for the state after being AD at Gorham for 14 years. He was AD for a total of 17 years. While AD, the school's teams won 12 state titles in five different sports. Over 60 percent of the school's 540 students participated in either intramural or interscholastic sports.

Coaching track and cross country was special for him because it involved "dealing with the type of student I had: a little different than team sports," he said.

Coaching varsity basketball for 12 years, his 1963 team won the state title. His 1968 team was unbeaten in their regular season.

The person who was most influential in his coaching career was Gorham High principal Theron Stenchfield, he said.

Among his honors was the recipient of the Richard Costello Award for special achievement given by the USM athletic department.

One of Evans stars was 1969 graduate John Emerson who went on to Bates where he became a state champion in both track and cross countIy. "Dean Evans was a great coach, mentor, motivator and role model," said Emerson who was captain. "He opened doors for kids of all abilities enabling them to participate in a sport where no one "rides the bench".

He was the kind of role model and motivator who made you want to participate on his teams and improve your performance of maximum personal effort and linked that importance to building personal pride and team cohesiveness. You ran for Dean because you respected him as a role model but you also ran for him because you knew he cared for you regardless of ability. Beneath it all you could sense that Dean's greater mission was to help build individual discipline and character.

"His record speaks for itself and, as is the case with so many successful mentors, is only a small part of his legacy of greatness. When you competed for Dean, regardless of skill level, you were part of his family and ultimately part of a fraternity that continues to endure."

Paul Jackson, who coached cross country at Cape Elizabeth for 33 years, said that Evans helped him with his coaching when he was new at the sport. "Dean is an outstanding person. I learned a great deal about coaching cross country from my conversations with Dean. . . I was very impressed with his teams. Each year his teams were big in numbers. They were also very well coached. They seemed to win year after year. . . they were well coached and well mannered at the same time. At Cape Elizabeth we waited eight years to beat Dean's team just once."

Dennis Smith, who was one of Evan's best runners from 1966/69, said that Evans "made cross country a lot of fun." Smith remembers one particular meet each season against the UMaine freshmen, "and we got to use the pool afterwards, and this sort of thing. That's why I try to do the same thing with my coaching, to make it fun for the kids."

"Dean was kind of ahead of his time with a lot of stretching and stuff that were doing, and combination speed workouts with longer easier runs," said Smith.

After his retirement, Evans made a substantial commitment to golf, and at the time of his induction was serving as director of the Maine State Golfers Association. He is especially active in youth golf.