Monday, April 15, 2013

Coach Gathje Inducted Into Hall of Fame

Mount Michael's coach John Gathje was recently inducted into a sports hall of fame in Rochester Minnesota. The Hall of fame banquet was held at Mayo Civic Auditorium.

(from MVP Magazine, Rochester, Minnesota)
Gathje, a 1981 graduate of Lourdes, was one of the greatest track and cross country runners in Rochester history and went on to St. John's University where he attained All-American status three times in Cross country and once in track......

John Gatje
John was one of the many Gathje runners at Lourdes  In track he was a three-time State Champion in the 3,200 meter run.  He and his brother Jim led Lourdes to three straight state team championships (1978, 1979, 1980) in Cross Country after two years in which the Eagles were runners-up   At Lourdes John won five letters in cross country and four in track. He was the state cross country champion in 1980 after a runner-up finish in 1979. After high school it was on to St. John's where he continued to excel in the two sports.  He was three-time All-American at St. John's -- twice in cross country and once in track.

John now teaches, serves as cross country coach and is an assistant coach in track at Mount Michael Benedictine High School in Elkhorn, Neb.  He has coached that school's cross country team to five Nebraska state championships, two runner-up finishes and has led the school's cross country teams to berths in 19 of the last 22 Nebraska state meets. John lives in Omaha with his wife and two sons.