Thursday, September 18, 2015
Chris Gohlke, a defensive standout on the 1999 PN-G state finalist team, passed away this week. He was 34 years old.
The 1999 team rallied after a late season loss to the West Orange-Stark Mustangs, and went on to win seven straight games to reach the AAAA state championship game. That streak included a dominating 31-8 win against the then state ranked Nederland Bulldogs.
A core strength of that Indian team was a swarming defense, and Gohlke was the emotional leader of that crew.
One of his shining moments happened in the quarterfinals showdown with the Lamarque Cougars.
The tradition-rich Cougars were attempting to advance to an unprecedented 7th straight state championship game, and few expected PN-G to stop them.
But the Indian defense had other ideas, and Gohlke’s play set the tone. On one play a Cougar receiver was leveled by a Gohlke hit that caused the 25,000 strong Astrodome crowd to go wild.
The 3 time defending state champion Cougars entered the field with a dominant attitude. They left with a resounding, physically dominated 22-6 loss, and the brand of Gohlke and company’s helmets as reminders.
Gohlke was named all district and super team player, and went on to play for the McNeese State Cowboys as a defensive back.
Chris Gohlke will always be remembered as being a determined, fierce player who struck fear in the hearts of opposing players with his hard hitting style of play.
Founder of Gohlke Training Systems, GTS Sports Performance, and his Annual Hard Core Strength And Speed Camp at The Reservation, he was a community leader of sports fitness and training. Hard work, weight lifting and agility drills were core components to Gohlke’s summer camps as he taught players to improve their speed and strength.
His legacy will be the memories he helped create during that 1999 season, the many area athletes he trained through the years, and the standard he set for defensive back play at PN-G.
Gone but never forgotten, Chris Gohlke will stand in the annals of PN-G football history as a shining example of how to play the game and represent his school and community with honor and pride.
The PN-G Indian Nation offers it’s thoughts and prayers to the Gohlke family.
