Today we honor Fred Girt, a 1st team all state running back in 1967 and 1968. Fred was also a great track athlete. We are not recognizing Fred just for his athletic accomplishments, we also honor him for his fun and uplifting spirit. How many times would he drag himself back to the huddle, looking bedraggled and battered, only to make everyone in the huddle laugh by saying ‘This is fun, do I get the ball again?’ Pete usually made sure he did.
The following was written at the time of his induction into the Marshfield Hall of Fame in 2010. Sadly, Fred passed away on September 1, 2010.
The third of four sons, Fred Johnson Girt III was born July 15, 1951 to Fred and Dorothy Girt of Coos Bay, Oregon. He has spent most of his entire life living in the Bay Area, attending Market Street Elementary, Michigan Avenue Jr. High and graduating in the class of 1969 from Marshfield High School.
Fred was a three sport athlete all four of his high school years lettering in basketball, football and track. Football was Fred’s greatest passion where he earned 1st Team All State Honors in 1967 and 1968 as a running back. He was also selected Team Captain, was a member of the State Finals in 1968 and was selected to participate in the State All Star Shrine Game in the summer of 1969.
Track and Field was yet another sport Fred excelled in where he long jumped, sprinted, and ran the high and low hurdles. In 1969 he was the District Champion in both hurdles. He earned honors at the State Track and Field Meet his Junior and Senior years running the high and low hurdles, placing 2nd his Junior year. Today Fred continues to hold the Coos County record in the high hurdles.
Following high school Fred earned a full ride scholarship to play football at Oregon State University for Coach Dee Andros. While playing football for four years, Fred earned degrees in Mathematics, Physical Education and Health. During the summer of 1972 he married his high school sweetheart, Nancy Susick.
Upon graduating from OSU in 1974 Fred and Nancy moved back to the Bay Area to begin their teaching and coaching careers until they retired in 2009. Fred has a special gift that enables him to reach out to all levels of students and athletes truly making a difference in the lives of children. Using his quick sense of humor, compassion and dedication, he has taught and coached at every level including kindergarten through 12th grades in the Coos Bay School District. Fred has also participated on numerous Math and PE committees at the district and state level, coached the Math Counts Team and has been a volunteer coach for the Boys and Girls Club.
Fred’s most valued treasures are his family. Nancy and Fred have been married for 38 years and have two children, Chelsey and Casey, both graduates of MHS. Chelsey and her husband Michael Seedborg teach and coach at Marshfield High School. Casey and his wife Amity live in Portland where Casey is a manager for Conrad Wood Forest Products and Amity is Assistant Dist. Attorney for Multnomah County. They are expecting a baby boy in Sept. and perhaps another generation of Girt running backs!
Our thanks goes out to Fred Girt’s classmates who have been very generous in the Class Challenge fundraising efforts.
This included side walls, installation of the two stairways and rails. Mission Accomplished!
Still more good news on the donation front. Your donations have helped us complete Phase I of construction in time for the home opener this Friday night:
Kathy Erickson of the class of 1965 just donated $1,500. Kathy’s contribution will increase ’65’s total to almost $13,000!!
As a football player he was the starting quarterback during his junior and senior years. His senior year the team won the district championship and reached the state semi-finals. The Pirates lost at LaGrande in a hard fought game 7 to 6. Barney was named All-District and All-State. He played in the 1950 Shriner All-Star game.
Basketball wise Barney was a three year letterman, being named the team M.V.P. in 1954. He was also named 1st team All-Northern Division and 2nd team All-Coast. In addition he set the U of O single game scoring record of 32 points. The record stood for eight years. In 2003 Barney was inducted into the Ducks Hall of Fame for football and basketball.
Barney’s basketball teams won three state championships and ten district championships. He received numerous honors as a basketball coach including “Oregon Basketball Coach of the Year” in 1966, 1976 1977 and 1989, “The West Coast National Coach of the Year” in 1967 and “McDonald’s Coach of the Year” in 1977.
Was coached by Walt McClure in track and was a four year letterman.
John married his sweetheart (then & now) Rosalie Gilfillan in 1957. Graduated U of O in 1959 and returned to Coos Bay to begin his career as an educator and started his family of four terrific sons. John taught all subjects of math at Marshfield for 33 years. He coached athletics at MHS for 42 years. Coached as a 3 sport assistant alongside Susick, Hoffine and McClure in football, basketball & track for 17 consecutive years 1965-1981.
Played football under Pete Susick. Sophomore year played in State Championship game against Grant HS and named 3rd team All State . Junior Year played fullback and linebacker, Pirates won district and lost to Grants Pass in quarterfinals. Grants Pass won that year. Senior year was All-District, All-State and All American: Wigwam Wise Men of America. Selected to play in Shrine Game.
Away from school, Manders was a Scout master for 12 years and received the Silver Beaver, the highest honor for adult leaders in Boy Scouts. Ernest and Sandra Manders have four children, Ernie, Jonathan, Christian and Joanna, who all graduated in the top three of their high school classes and went on to receive Ivy League educations.
