Coach Ross grew up in Sedro Woolley, Washington where he lettered in basketball and baseball for 4 years, and was ASB President. He played semi-pro baseball in Snohomish under Earl Avrilla Sr.’s coaching between high school and college. Bob graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1954, where he played basketball for Marv Harshaman and baseball for Marv Tommervik for 4 years. After college, while in the Army stationed in France, Bob was a player/coach in 1955-56, and won the All France award.
Bob taught for 30 years in the Franklin Pierce School District in Parkland, teaching Business & Office Occupations at FPHS and was the Department Coordinator for a number of years, and was a Counselor at Washington High School. He coached all those years, starting with 9th & 10th graders, then was the Jr. Varsity coach with “Hall of Fame Coach ” Del Schafer, followed by 18 years as the Varsity Coach at Washington High School. During the years at Washington, he had a 254-147 won-loss record, had 13 winning seasons with 12 teams qualifying for District and 6 League Championships or Co-Championships. The teams qualified for State twice, being 3rd in State in 1974-75 and 5th place the following year.
Bob was also nominated as Coach of the Year in 1975.
After retirement from F.P. District, Bob coached the Green River Community College Gators for 5 years. The Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges in 1990 awarded him the Coach of the Year for the Western Division of Basketball. After retiring from Green River, he then returned to Washington as Assistant Coach for 3 years. For the past four years, he has volunteered as an assistant coach under former player and Assistant Coach Gary Wusterbarth at Steilacoom High School.
In 1995 Pacific Lutheran University awarded him with the Distinguished Alumnus in Athletics Award.
High points of his career have been the wonderful friendships with former players and the camaraderie of the coaches he has met and worked with over the years. He’s been proud to see several of his former players become successful coaches, such as Gary Wusterbarth who has taken his team to State year after year, Paco Cartledge who took his Stadium team to District this year, and Jeff Drinkwine at Mt. Tahoma. Bob always appreciated the support of his wife, Suzie, and daughters, Kerry & Kim, at his basketball games. Watching Kim play basketball & other sports at Washington and PLU ( & son-inÂlaw, Dave, who played basketball at PLU). Some of his proud moments now are watching, as both children are involved with coaching their own children.
