BOB GARCIA

Class of 1973 - Coach
​Inducted in 2018

Coach Garcia was inducted as a Coach into the SHSAA Packer Sports Greats in 2018.

Bob attended South from 1971-1973.  He earned 3 varsity letters in track and 2 varsity letters in cross-country. 
 
In track – Bob had numerous top 5 finishes at track invitationals.  He ranked in the top 10 in the state in the 880 and 2-mile during the 1972 season.   He was a state qualifier and took 3rd place in the 2-mile run at district meet in 1972.  He was a member of the school record distance medley relay in 1973.  He also took 4th place in the 1 mile run at the metro conference in 1973.  He was a state qualifier and took 4th place in the 1 mile run at the district meet in 1973.  He placed 5th at the State meet in the 1-mile run in 1973.
 
His cross-country story is much the same.  He had numerous top 10 finishes in cross-country invitationals.  He took 10th place at the Metro Conference meet and was a member of the metro-conference championship team in 1971.  He placed third at the district meet and was a member of the district championship team in 1971.  At the state meet that year, the team took 3rd place.     In 1972, he took 3rd place at the metro conference meet, with the team taking 3rd place overall.  At districts in 1972, Bob took 2nd place and the team won the district championship.  At state that year, Bob took 6th place and the team ended up in 6th place overall. 
 
Bob attended UNO from 1972-74.  He continued running in cross-country, indoor and outdoor track and received a varsity letter.  He had several top-five finished at invitationals and quadrangular meets.
 
Bob attended Grace University in 1975 and competed in cross-country, taking 3rd place at the conference championship.  Bob then attended Peru State College from 1977-1978 where he competed in outdoor track; with several top five finished at invitationals.
 
Bob started his coaching career at McMillan Jr High in 1979 as a volunteer.  He became the head track coach in 1980.  In 1980 he was a volunteer cross-country coach at South.   From 1981 to 1996 he was the assistant and head track coach at South.  From 1981 to 1995 he was the head cross-country coach at South.    From 1998 to 2006 he was the Omaha Bryan/South co-op cross-country coach.  In 1998-99 he was the assistant track coach at South, returning to Bryan as head cross-country coach from 2007-2009.  In 2013-2014-2017 and 2018 he was a volunteer track coach at Lincoln Parkview Christian High. Throughout his high school coaching career, Bob had numerous medal winners at metro, district and invitationals, and earned several divisional championships for both boys and girls in cross country.  For track, he also had numerous invitational, metro, district, and state medal winners. 
 
Bob has continued to compete in numerous road races and track meets since 1980; including being a two-time Omaha Corporate Cup 10k race in 1986-1987.  He competed in the Boston Marathon in 1991.  He was also the National Champion in his age group (45-49 USA) in the track and field 5000 meter run in 2001.  He’s raced in 32 states as well as Canada and Mexico.