By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich — On Wednesday night legendary Goodrich Baseball Coach Bob Foreback led his Martians nine on the home diamond for his last regular season game. Earlier this year, Foreback, who has skippered Goodrich Varsity baseball for 29 seasons, announced he will step down following the 2023 season.
“I’d like to thank the community and especially the parents who supported the teams over the past three decades,” said Foreback.
“The number of supporters over the years are just too vast to name and I don’t want to miss anyone. It takes a lot of people for a successful program. The games are the easy part, I just walk out there to the third-base box, I just could do that part of the game forever. But, to run a program there’s a lot to do behind the scenes.”
“I still love the game, but it’s time to let another coach take over,” he said. “My father, who also coached high school sports for more than 25 years, told me when it gets hard to hold practices and off season workouts it’s time to let it go. That’s where I’m at.”
His stellar career at Goodrich includes several milestones.
In May 2022 Foreback officially joined an elite group of high school baseball coaches and reached a pinnacle in a stellar career with his 700th win at Goodrich.
The Martians went to a 37-3 record for the 2022 season which ended with a loss to Forest Hills Eastern at Kobs Field, on the campus of Michigan State University in the state semifinals.
In June 2017, Foreback was inducted into the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Foreback and other inductees’ names are on a permanent plaque near section 113 at Comerica Park in Detroit.
Foreback has coached Goodrich for 29 seasons to a 748-284-3 record. Which includes a 22-5 record so far during the 2023 season.
A 1987 Ovid-Elsie High School graduate, Foreback attended Saginaw Valley State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in education in 1992. He taught chemistry for one year at Holly High School then returned to earn a master’s degree in counseling from Eastern Michigan University.
In 1994 he was hired as counselor at Goodrich High School.
In 1995, Foreback’s first year coaching, the Goodrich baseball team finished the season with a 19-18 record.
In 29 years as varsity baseball coach, Foreback’s teams won league championships in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. District championships in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. Regional championships 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2022. The state quarterfinals in 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2022. Final Four: 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2022.
On June 3, Foreback’s 2023 Martians will open district championship play at Goodrich against Detroit County Day.