John Gurski

A graduate of Coal Township High School, where he was an All-Eastern Conference tackle and later a three-year starter at the University of Pennsylvania, John took over the football program at Wilson High School after it had gone 2-15-2 the previous two seasons. Wilson has never had a losing season thereafter beginning in 1964. He coached four undefeated teams (1967, 1969, 1978, 1981), produced a state-high 22-game winning streak in the early 1980s, compiled an astounding 43-2 record from 1978-81, and won seven league championships, including four straight Lancaster-Lebanon I titles from 1978-81. Upon retiring after 19 seasons as Wilson’s head football coach in 1982, Gurski ranked No. 1 in victories and winning percentage in Berks County history, finishing with a 151-44-4 record and a 76.4 winning percentage at Wilson. At the time of his retirement only Don Thomas of Exeter High School and Ray Linn of Governor Mifflin had longer coaching careers in Berks County. Gurski also posted a 47-13-2 record in six seasons at Minersville, giving him an overall career coaching record of 198-57-6.

Deceased