Gary Goss was born in 1943 in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Charles Ray and Natilee Goss. He attended Pleasant Hill High School (in Pleasant Hill, MO) where he was a three sport letterman in football, basketball, and track. After graduating high school in 1961, he attended Moberly Junior College in Moberly, Missouri. While at Moberly, Gary played basketball under the legendary Cotton Fitzsimmons on the 1962 3rdplace National Junior College team and 1963 National Junior College runner-up team. Gary continued his education and athletic career at Harding University where he was a two-year letterman and ALL-AIC basketball playerfrom 1963-1965. Gary’s athletic accomplishments earned him a spot in the Harding University’s Hall of Fame. In 1972, he earned his master’s degree in education from the University of Central Arkansas.Gary began his coaching career in 1966 at Moberly Junior High School where he coached basketball, football and track. In 1968, he moved back to Little Rock and coached one year at Fourth Street Junior High School. Gary spent the next twenty years coaching football, boys’ basketball and boys’ track at North Little Rock High School. He was the boys’ basketball assistant coach when Bob Bowden led the Wildcats to a state championship in 1971. North Little Rock was the boys’ basketball state runner-up in 1979, 1980, and 1989 under Gary’s leadership. He served on the All-Star basketball coaching staff in 1980. In 1989, Gary became the athletic director for the North Little Rock School District. During his tenure as athletic director, Gary initiated the Athletic-Academic award for student-athletes at NorthLittle Rock High School who maintained a 3.0 GPA and lettered in a varsity sport; and the student academic incentive program for students that maintained at least a 3.0 GPA with a strong attendance record to receive free or reduced admission into athleticevents. Gary also worked to improve athletic facilities. Improvements made during his administration were: a new press box area and score clock at the football stadium as well as a synthetic field in 2003; a new track surface; and the state of the art arena in 2002. He was also integral in the reorganization of the secondary schools during the 1990-91 school year. That year, North Little Rock merged two high schools into one and three junior high schools into one freshman campus. Gary was honored with the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award inside the AHSAAA in 1993 and was named the 2003 Athletic Director of the Year by his peers. Gary has been a member of the AHSAAA and NIAAA for 14 years as well as a 21-year member of the Arkansas High School Coaches’ Association.Gary retired from Education in 2003 to end his 37-year career. After retirement, Gary and his wife of 44 years, Francene, moved to Romance, Arkansas, where they are active in their church. They live on 17 beautiful acres –enough space for Gary to raise and train beagles. They have five children: Coby of Chicago, IL; Dawn of
4Beebe, AR; Whitney of North Little Rock; Taryn of North Little Rock; and Tony of North Little Rock. They have been blessed with nine grandchildren who enjoy visiting them to fish, swim, and play.