Goga guided Peters Township to a 23-3 record this season and the first WPIAL basketball title in school history. This was Goga's fourth season as the Indians' coach, and his turnaround job is impressive. Peters Township was 7-17 in his first year, finishing last in the section. The Indians were 6-18 in his second year.
Things started to turn last year, and the Indians reached the WPIAL summit this season.
Goga, 33, is a graduate of Bethel Park and played at Pitt-Bradford. He is a 12th-grade English teacher at Steel Valley.
Biggest key to the season: I think just at different times of the season, we always had somebody step up. So many times when we needed a lift, there was always someone to provide that lift, and in more ways than just scoring.
You teach at Steel Valley and coach at Peters Township. Is that hard? Not at all. I love both places. It's easy. I enjoy the drives to both places. I get to listen to ESPN radio.
Two coaches that you admire at any level? From a collegiate standpoint, I really like Jamie Dixon at Pitt. One of the reasons is because Pitt is my favorite team, but I just like the way they play. The others would probably be Danny Holzer [at Upper St. Clair] and Johnny Lee when he was at Baldwin. Those are the guys I coached under and learned under.
If you won a million dollars, what would you buy first? I would make my classroom the greatest of all time. I'd add a second level and put a basketball hoop there. I'd have recliners all over, too.
What advice would you give sports parents: Let the coaches coach, and encourage your kids to work hard because nothing should be handed to them.
People might be surprised to know that you ... I have 97 bobbleheads. I collect them in all different sports.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
April 12, 2009
