Local Sports Journal

jim goorman

Jim Goorman

Jim Goorman made Western Michigan Christian High School synonymous with basketball success during his storied 33-year tenure as the school’s head varsity boys basketball coach.

Goorman combined longevity, consistency and excellence during a career which landed him a spot in the Basketball Coaches of Michigan Hall of Fame last year. This year, Goorman will be inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony June 8 at the Muskegon Country Club.

Goorman, a Holland Christian graduate, taught and coached at WMC for a total of 44 years – including the final 33 as the varsity basketball coach.

His teams were consistently strong, as evidenced by his spot in the elite 500-win coaching fraternity, finishing with a an overall varsity record of 504-282.

Goorman is the Muskegon area’s all-time leader in varsity basketball coaching wins, with more than 50 wins more than second-place Okie Johnson of Muskegon Heights, an inaugural MASHF inductee.

Goorman’s teams won five state championships (1992, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010) and finished runner-up three times (1980, 1993, 2000).

He has also become well known around the Midwest as the director of numerous American Youth Basketball Tournaments. Goorman, 67, lives in Norton Shores with his wife, Sue. The couple has three sons – Jamie, Jeremy and Jason.