For more than 10 years, Great Bend High School has been proud to honor the accomplishments and career achievements of its graduates through the Great Bend High School Hall of Fame awards.
On Friday, Jan. 3, the community is invited to celebrate the induction of Steve Gotsche.
Steve Gotsche is a 1979 graduate from Great Bend High School. Gotsche began his amateur golf career in 1974 by traveling to local and regional junior events culminating with victories in both the Kansas Junior Amateur (1979) and the 6A Kansas High School Individual Champion (1979) and then went on to win the Kansas Amateur in 1984. He then turned professional in the spring of 1985 and it didn’t take long to begin winning events throughout the Midwest and qualifying for his first of nine United States Opens.
Gotsche’s career is marked by numerous PGA and Nike tour accomplishments.
During his professional career, Gotsche qualified nine times for the US Open, competed in the US Senior Open, has won over 70 mini-tour tournaments throughout the country and holds many course records many of which still stand today including a 56(-15) at The Club at Stoneridge.
Once his touring days were limited, Gotsche returned to his Great Bend roots where he shared his passion and expertise in the sport of golf as a Barton Community College coach, PGA Golf Professional at Stoneridge Country Club, community volunteer and business owner.
In May of 2014, Gotsche accepted the position of Head PGA Golf Professional at Colbert Hills Country Club in Manhattan Kansas where he resides with his wife of 35 years, Linda (Wilson).
The Great Bend High School Hall of Fame luncheon will be held on Friday, Jan. 3 in the Great Bend High School Jack Kilby Commons, 2027 Morton St. Tickets are available for $15 per person and include a catered, three-course luncheon and program.
Please email reservations to Lana Wolf, [email protected] by Dec. 27.
Gotsche will also be recognized between the boys & girls basketball games that evening in the GBHS Gymnasium. A pubic reception will be held at the conclusion of the basketball game.
Great Bend High School Hall of Fame Inductees:
2008 – Skip Yowell, John Keller and Jack Kilby
2009 – Jack Bowman, Sean Murphy and Tim Weiser
2010 – Jenny Allford and Glenn Opie
2011 – Don Halbower and Dan McGovern
2012 – Karla (Bender) Leibham and Bill McKown
2013 – Allen Keiswetter and Celia LaBranche
2014 – George Nossaman and Randy Goering
2015 – Shannon Schartz and Ty Cobb
2016 – Jean Cavanaugh and Mike Goss
2017 – Larry Becker and Jim Calcara
2018 – Dr. Matt Friedeman
2019 – Steve Gotsche