Pinedale Stadium renamed Gene Andrews Stadium
October 12, 2018
On Friday, October 5th, Sublette County School District #1 held a ceremony before the football game to rename the Pinedale Stadium. The new name is now Gene Andrews Stadium at Korfanta Field in honor of long-time Pinedale sports coach Eugene "Gene" Andrews.
Gene began his coaching career in 1965 in San Diego, California teaching at Grossmont High School until 1973. He taught at Pinedale High School from 1973 to 1990.
In 1990, he was inducted into the Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame. On the date of his induction he was still coaching and his career encompassed 24 years of experience. Noted for his success in football, Gene had an overall record of 123 wins and 40 losses, including 7 district championships, 3 regional Championships, 1 state runner-up, and 2 state championships.
During his coaching career, Gene achieved the following:
• 14 members of the Pinedale high school football teams have gone on to play college football, many of these athletes have started in Division I and Division H football programs.
• Coached state track champions in the 1600 meter, 3200 meter runs, and softball throw.
• 2 state cross country ski championships and 2 state runner-up titles.
Below are excerpts from the October 2018 nomination by Ward Wise to the Sublette County School District #1 Board of Trustees to name the football stadium as "Gene Andrews Stadium."
"Coach", as so many in the community fondly call him, has had a tremendous impact on our youth of the community and on the community as a whole. He is the role model for the term "Coach", and is a life coach to so many.
Not many people realize that Gene was a Southern California, 5A State Champion Swimming and Diving Coach. Hence, he was very instrumental in the group that pushed for Pinedale’s first swimming pool. His contribution was the curriculum in the pool for all ages of the community as well as the opportunities for athletics. Before the Pinedale pool was built he had a group of students that drove to Big Piney each night and practiced as part of the Sublette County Swimming and Diving team that produced several State Championships.
Listed as one of his many accomplishments are two State Nordic Ski Championships and two State Runner-up titles. So how did a California Coach become a State Championship Nordic Ski Coach? Simple; the Superintendent, Spike Jorgensen, told him he could have the job as PE Teacher and Football Coach and that he also had to be Nordic Coach….he didn’t have a choice! Gene tried to get out of it saying that he didn’t know a thing about skiing. The Superintendent replied, that "it doesn’t matter, you’re a great coach and great coaches can coach any sport".
Gene researched, (note before the internet was around), and realized that the cardio workouts for Nordic Skiing were very similar to swimming in increasing lung capacity. Gene met with the team and told them he didn’t know how to ski and the deal was struck that he’d get them in the best shape he could, and in return they would teach him how to ski. The rest is history. A lesson in integrity.
Gene’s contributions go way beyond football and Nordic skiing. His commitment went beyond his years as an employee, the following is a sampling of his involvement in the community even after he retired:
● Starter for the track meets and organizer
● Volunteer to run the clock at the basketball games both girls and boys
● Organized the little kids flag football games
● Referee for Junior High and JV football games
● Volunteering for the Pinedale Half Marathon
● Timer at the Nordic Ski Meets
● Radio Announcer for Football games
● Announcer for Basketball games
● Creator of the Prognog for SCSD#1 employees and end of year celebration
● Volunteer at Regional tournaments held in Pinedale
● Involvement as a performer in the community theatre
Gene’s efforts changed the PE curriculum in Pinedale. He introduced Pinedale to badminton, a huge sport in California and it became a student favorite unit in Pinedale. Gene was a pro. He always had tournaments between the classes and each class champion then had to play Gene. According to Ward, he’s pretty sure Gene didn’t lose a match. "He is an unbelievable badminton player. This is a guy who was a rugby player at San Diego State. Gene would lead by example."
Another achievement in the curriculum was that Gene was selected to introduce the "high ropes adventure course curriculum" in PE. He and a few other chosen teachers spent the summer learning how to teach rappelling and team building using an outdoor obstacle course. He was able to bring in the poles thanks to the local telephone company, the local power company set the poles and rigged the wires and he consulted with the Skinner Brothers to make it all happen.
Gene enabled the community to be a part of the school.
Gene was there when Pinedale High School went from having no track to finally getting their first one, made of gravel road base. Ward Wise remembers as a student running up the Shelter Park road and then down the paved road back to the school. Students would do sprints on Hennick Street and the hurdles were set up on North Tyler Street. The community saw the students running their sprints, hurdles and the loop. Gene was able to obtain approval to have a track put in by showing the community how committed we were.
Gene became a part of the community by getting out and doing things with community members. He took horses in the mountains with the outfitters, he hunted, fished, boated on the lakes, camped, and became involved in the culture of the community. What people forget is that he grew up in Colorado and his dad worked on a ranch. When they moved to California, his family had a small avocado farm, he is an outdoorsman. This is why he moved to Wyoming, to give his kids and family the experience of the great outdoors. He is tough and proved his work ethic over and over again.
Gene modeled the work ethic that it takes to achieve greatness. He touched the lives of many in the community with positive values of honesty, integrity, sense of fairness, self-discipline, teamwork, and dedication to work.
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