Pride, success always accompanied Jack Gaster

When Jack Gaster passed away earlier this month at the age of 59, it had been close to three decades since he coached his last football game at West Columbus High School.

But Gaster, who spent only three years at West Columbus, left a lasting effect on high school athletics in the county and he had remained in close contact with many of his former Viking players and other members of the WCHS athletic community.

With Gaster at West Columbus and the legendary Jack Holley at nearby Tabor City, high school football in this area was elevated to a high standard.

Gaster was always a man of vision, a man of high values and a man of intense preparation. He got results.

Like most successful high school football coaches, he may have appeared a little rough around the edges at times, but he loved coaching and he loved his players. He also showed deep respect for all other coaches he came into contact with.

In three seasons at WCHS (1977, 1978 and 1979), he coached the Vikings to three Three Rivers 3A Conference championships. The 1979 team posted a 10-1-1 record and dropped a 25-20 second-round playoff heartbreaker to Southern Guilford in Greensboro.

In typical Jack Gaster fashion, he did not accept the setback at Southern Guilford as a loss.
“Time ran out on us,” Gaster said.

After leaving West Columbus, Gaster experienced strong coaching tenures at Smithfield-Selma, Lexington and Albemarle. While at Albemarle, he coached the Bulldogs to three consecutive state 1AA championships (2001, 2002 and 2003). A series of strokes cut short his storied coaching career a few years ago and they eventually led to his untimely death.

Franklin Davis recalled how much he learned from Gaster when he returned to West Columbus (his alma mater) to begin his teaching and coaching career fresh out of UNC-Chapel Hill.

“Jack Gaster gave me my start in coaching,” said Davis, who coached under Gaster at West Columbus and Smithfield-Selma, and now teaches at East Columbus. “Being a part of his coaching staff was like being a part of his family. I always felt he handled things the right way and that was important to me as a young assistant coach in those days. He paid attention to detail and always seemed to bring the best out of the players.”

There is rarely a veteran coach in North Carolina that I come into contact with who hasn’t been enriched by Jack Gaster’s advice, wisdom and friendship.

MY SUPER SUNDAY PICK: Patriots complete super season. New England 27, New York 20.