JIM GOIKE
JIM WAS A NEW HAVEN BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER FROM 1990-1998. HE WAS VERY MUCH MORE THAN JUST A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY OF NEW HAVEN.
JIM, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE ROBIN WERE VERY ACTIVE IN THE NEW HAVEN ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB FOR MANY YEARS. OFTEN YOU WOULD FIND JIM CALLING OUT NUMBERS AT THE VERY SUCCESSFUL BINGO NIGHT HELD AT THE SCHOOL. YOU COULD ALSO SEE JIM TRYING TO IMITATE HIS FAVORITE SINGERS ALONG WITH FELLOW HALL OF FAMERS, DUKE BRYNER, THE GOETZ’S, BOB CHURCHILL AND WIFE ROBIN AT THE 50-60S DANCE. ONE OF JIM’S PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS ORGANIZING THE BOOSTER CLUB GOLF OUTING. OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT JIM HELPED WITH WERE THE PONTIAC SILVERDOME CONCESSION STAND AND ALMOST ANYTHING GOES. IF THE ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB HAD AN ACTIVITY JIM WAS INVOLVED.
THE STUDENT-ATHLETES OF NEW HAVEN NOT ONLY BENEFITED FROM JIM’S EFFORT IN THE BOOSTER CLUB BUT ON THE FIELD AS WELL. JIM FILMED VARSITY FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL GAMES FOR EIGHT YEARS. HE COACHED FOR THE CAGER BASKETBALL PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS.
WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE BOOSTER CLUB JIM HELPED ORGANIZE AND COMPLETE MANY PROJECTS THAT IMPROVED THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES A THE ORIGINAL ATHLETIC COMPLEX ON CLARK STREET. THE NEW HAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS FITTED WITH A BATTING CAGE FOR THE STAGE. THE PRESS BOX, WHITE FENCE, AND TEAM ROOM WERE ALL COMPLETED UNDER JIM’S DIRECTION AND WELCOMED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FOOTBALL FIELD. JIM ALSO HELPED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURTS AT THE OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. JIM’S BIGGEST IMPACT PROBABLY WAS THE BUILDING OF THE SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL FIELD’S ON CLARK STREET. THE FIELDS WERE VERY ROUGH SHAPE AND JIM ORGANIZED THE VOLUNTEERS TO IMPROVE NOT ONLY THE PLAYING SURFACES BUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FENCING AND DUGOUTS. THE COMPLEX HAS HOST TO MANY MHSAA DISTRICT AND REGIONALS IN SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL. THE ENTIRE ATHLETIC COMPLEX RECEIVED MANY COMPLIMENTS FROM OFFICIALS, COACHES, FANS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE STUDENT-ATHLETES WHO PLAYED ON THEM.
JIM HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AND THE LIVES OF THE STUDENTS AT NEW HAVEN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND HIS EFFORTS ARE APPRECIATED BY MANY.
JIM AND ROBIN HAVE THREE CHILDREN. CHRISTI, AMANDA AND LUKE. ALL WERE STUDENT-ATHLETES FOR THE NEW HAVEN ROCKETS.