This week, the GRHS football season began. This year, you’ll notice a change in the football coaching lineup. Fifteen-year head coach Jim Kurz will not be on the sidelines this year. He announced this spring that he was retiring from his head coaching position to bring more balance into his life. According to Kurz, that doesn’t mean he won’t be back on the team at some point, but for now, it’s time to take a breather.
Jim took over as head coach after the legend and his mentor Al Deaett decided to retire from coaching in 2009. During his years as coach, Jim won 87 games with the Panthers, led them to the playoffs ten times and to the sectional finals several times.
Coach Kurz has been a part of Glen Rock football since he was a child, playing for the Colts and Mustangs under the Glen Rock Junior Football Association. During Kurz’s years as a high school football player under Coach Deaett, he was one of the captains who led the team to an undefeated season (21-0) and the North Jersey Section 1 State Championship in 1996. Because of his love of sports, school and teaching, Jim became a popular PE teacher at GRHS.
Speaking to a teammate from that team, Evan Quinn, he said, “Jim was a junior when I was a freshman in 1995, just as Glen Rock football was starting to turn things around for the better. We were loaded with talent. We were undefeated and lost a tough game in the semifinals to Ridgefield Park.”
Evan continued, “The following year, Jim was a key part of their quest for a state championship. Jim was one of the hardest-working players on and off the field. He was also an outstanding track and field athlete. Their 1996 championship set the tone for Glen Rock football, which enjoyed many more great successes over the next decade. After college, I moved into a beach house with Jim and a few people from Glen Rock. Jim wasn’t a big fan of mine that summer, but we made it work. Watching him as the head coach of the football team over the years was great. He was a role model for his players on and off the field. He did so much for Glen Rock football, for the school and for the city. Jim, I wish you nothing but the best and thank you for keeping the tradition going.”
Jim also touched many parents, other coaches and students with his kindness, always with a smile on his face and kind words. He also made sure they knew he was there to help them in any way he could to ensure their success in school and in life.
Adrian Galvez, a senior on the Panthers this year, said of his former coach, “Coach Kurz was a great coach who not only did his job well, but also showed up to practice every day with a smile on his face. For him, it was more than just football, he created a family bond between the players and coaches.”
When asked how he felt about his departure, Jim replied, “I feel like I’m leaving the team in good shape. I was able to personally select my successor and make sure the team is in good hands.”
We here at Banana Tree News wish him all the best. We will miss him on the sidelines. We are also very impressed that he knew it was time for a balance and a breather.
