By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Detroit — The 2024 Goodrich Martian Division 4 State Championship football season is now just a little sweeter.
The Detroit Lions have named Tom Alward of Goodrich High School the 2024 Detroit Lions High School Football Coach of the Year. The award followed a 35-6 Martian win over Niles for the D4 state championship Nov. 29.
“I’m so pleased I got to see the look on our coaches and players faces after winning the state championship,” said Alward. “It was an incredible time and I am so pleased to bring the state title back to the community. This team will be able to share that for decades to come.”
Alward in his 47th year of high school coaching and 32nd at Goodrich was selected by a panel of high school football media members—Mick McCabe, Detroit Free Press, Hugh Bernreuter, Saginaw News, Bret Bakita, WOOD Radio-106.9 FM, 96.1 FM- The Game, Fox 17/Grand Rapids, James Cook Traverse City Record-Eagle and Scott DeCamp, promotion and media specialist, and one vote from the public online voting at DetroitLions.com. Alward will receive a $3,000 donation to Goodrich football program and will be honored as the Detroit Lions nominee for the prestigious Don Shula NFL High School Football Coach of the Year award.
Alward was assistant JV football coach at Flint Central High School from 1977-84 and went on to be assistant varsity football coach at Bendel High School from 1985-89. His first season in Goodrich was 1993.
“The first game I coached at Goodrich was in the fall of 1993 against Bentley High School,” said Alward. “We lost 20-0, we did not do very well. It bothered me, it was my first go around and the loss hurt. We then had a 2-7 season followed by a 2-7 record in my second year. But the third year we went 9-2 and qualified for the playoffs.”
Alward said his style was gleaned from two coaches forming his rather easy going demeanor on the sidelines.
“I’m not always calm, I get excited sometimes,” he laughed. “My father was a high school football coach at Montrose and Bendel High for many years. He has always has been and will continue to be my idol for my entire life. He was a great man and the core of who I am today, that’s all my dad. I played for Coach Tom Osborn at the University of Nebraska as a college student, and while he was an influence on me as a coach, it was my dad that had the greatest impact.”
Those two were strong influences that emphasize truly caring about their players, he said.
“I’m emotional and excitable for sure, but the mean and vulgar coaching that’s never going to be me,” he said. “We let our guys know what we expect out of them so they live up to the expectations of being a Martian Football player. Granted, I’m not the blood and guts type coach. It’s an emotional game and you’re going to get upset at times and some of these kids are going to need some consoling, too. That’s coaching.”
Alward was a member of the 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers national championship football team, a two-year starter at guard and 2nd team All Big 8 selection at the University of Nebraska, drafted by the New York Jets in the 6th round (pick 153) of the 1975 NFL draft and became the first player signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976. Alward was enshrined in the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association in 2013.