Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Athletics Mourns Loss of Legendary Coach Bob Parks
3/4/2021 10:30:00 AM | Men's XC, Men's Track & Field, E-Club
Parks was a member of EMU Athletic Hall of Fame as well as countless others
More information.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It is with great sadness that the Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics announces the passing of legendary track and field and cross country coach, Bob Parks, who passed away March 3, 2021, at the age of 90.
It is ironic, perhaps, that for a man who spent the vast majority of his life paying close attention to every meter, there is no possible way to measure the impact that he made on thousands of individuals.
A coach, mentor, father, and friend, Parks' legacy within Eastern Michigan University, the Mid-American Conference, and the entirety of intercollegiate athletics will never diminish.
"The entire Eastern Michigan Athletics family is heartbroken by the news of Bob's passing," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "It is impossible to summarize the legacy of Coach Parks and the impact that he has made on our institution in just one statement. Bob Parks is one of the finest examples of a champion that this University has ever seen, not only in his field of competition, where he built our cross country and track and field programs into two of the very best in all of intercollegiate athletics, but outside of his sports as well. Thousands of student-athletes, coaches, staff members, and individuals in the Ypsilanti community were positively impacted by his dedication to Eastern Michigan. Many individuals leave a mark on the places they go - few fundamentally change them for the better. Bob Parks is one of those few, and Eastern Michigan University will never fail to recognize him for his achievements and contributions to our department."
Wetherbee, speaking on current Director of Cross Country/Track & Field, and daughter of Bob Parks, Sue Parks, added "While we mourn and ultimately begin to celebrate the life of Coach Bob Parks, our entire Eastern Michigan family is also conscious of, and grieving alongside, Sue. Challenges like this are never easy, and our department is committed to helping Sue navigate this loss in every way we can."
"We are saddened by the loss of our father," added Sue Parks. "He touched countless lives and was a father figure and an inspiration to so many. He was as competitive as anyone but more importantly, he always wanted to ensure that his athletes were ready for the challenges of life when they left his program. He will long be remembered for his positive impact and the way that he treated people. We will all carry his passion, strength and fighting spirit with us
The most decorated coach in Eastern Michigan Athletics history, Parks' teams captured 31 MAC titles, and he was named MAC Coach of the Year 22 times. His teams won six NAIA and NCAA team titles, and he was named NCAA National Coach of the Year once and Regional Coach of the Year nine times.
Parks was a collegiate runner at Eastern Michigan from 1951-55 and was the school's head men's track & field and cross country coach for 34 years (1967-2001). He retired having established a tradition of success within the Eagles cross country and track and field programs.
Throughout his career, Parks coached numerous athletes who competed in the Olympics In fact, he coached an athlete in every Olympic Games from 1968 to 2012. The list of Olympians include: Hasely Crawford, Dave Ellis, Tony Nelson, Earl Jones, Tommy Asinga, Paul McMullen, Greg Rhymer, Clement Chukwu, Nduka Awazie, Fabian Rollins, and Jamie Nieto. Crawford won the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal in the 100m; Jones was the winner of the 1984 Olympic Bronze Medal in the 800m; and Chukwu and Awazie claimed the Silver Medal as part of a 4x400m relay team in the 2000 Games.
Parks coached 286 MAC and CCC conference champions and 31 NAIA and NCAA national champions, and his dual meet record stands at 162-14-1. He coached more than 110 All-Americans; many when only three were honored per event.
Parks is honored in the Eastern Michigan University Athletics and Drake Relays Halls of Fame, and both Eastern Michigan's indoor and outdoor tracks are named in his honor. He was named to the USTFCCA Hall of Fame in 2000, and the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 2015.
During his career, the Eastern Michigan cross country program compiled a dual meet record of 132-24-1 for a .843 winning percentage. His program was 75-16 (.824) in MAC action and won nine MAC titles.
Eastern Michigan student-athletes competed just as well on a national level. In his first five years, Parks led Eastern Michigan to the NAIA and /or NCAA Division II Championship meet every year and won the 1967 and 1970 NAIA National Championship, and the 1970 NCAA Division II National title.
After joining the MAC and moving up to NCAA Division I status in 1972, EMU won two district championships (1973, 1974) and qualified for the NCAA Championship meet seven times with the best finish coming in 1974 with a sixth-place finish. Parks' teams qualified for a national championship meet (NAIA, NCAA I, II) nine times in his first 10 years. Eastern Michigan also won seven Central Collegiate Conference crowns and nine Michigan Intercollegiate Championships. Parks was named MAC Coach of the Year seven times, was five-time CCC Coach of the Year and twice honored as NCAA District Coach of the Year (1973 and 1974).
Parks (9-6-1930) was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and grew up in Howell, Mich. At Howell High School, he played football, basketball, baseball, and track and was the Michigan high School Class B State Champion in the 440-yard dash. He was a three-time letterwinner in track at Michigan Normal College (now EMU), won the 1952 IIAC 880-yard run and was a member of the mile relay team that held the school record for 14 years.
He began his coaching career at Ferndale High School in 1952 and also coached at DeWitt High School and Redford Thurston H.S. from 1954-61, until joining the Western Michigan University track and cross country staff as an assistant coach in 1961 where he helped the Broncos to numerous MAC and CCC titles, as well as two NCAA Division I Championships in cross country. Parks left Western Michigan in January 1967, to return to his alma mater as head coach.
Parks completed his education degree in 1955. After retirement, he and his late wife, Pat, spent time and residence in White Lake, Mich. and Naples, Fla. They have four children, Nancy, Sue, Scott, and Steve (who passed away in 2012) .
A celebration of Bob's life will be planned at a later date when family, friends, and former student-athletes can attend.
Individuals wishing to make financial contributions in his honor are able to give to the "Bob Parks Track Dedication Fund" with a gift to EMU. For more information visit EMUEagles.com/give/BobParks.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It is with great sadness that the Eastern Michigan University Department of Athletics announces the passing of legendary track and field and cross country coach, Bob Parks, who passed away March 3, 2021, at the age of 90.
It is ironic, perhaps, that for a man who spent the vast majority of his life paying close attention to every meter, there is no possible way to measure the impact that he made on thousands of individuals.
A coach, mentor, father, and friend, Parks' legacy within Eastern Michigan University, the Mid-American Conference, and the entirety of intercollegiate athletics will never diminish.
"The entire Eastern Michigan Athletics family is heartbroken by the news of Bob's passing," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "It is impossible to summarize the legacy of Coach Parks and the impact that he has made on our institution in just one statement. Bob Parks is one of the finest examples of a champion that this University has ever seen, not only in his field of competition, where he built our cross country and track and field programs into two of the very best in all of intercollegiate athletics, but outside of his sports as well. Thousands of student-athletes, coaches, staff members, and individuals in the Ypsilanti community were positively impacted by his dedication to Eastern Michigan. Many individuals leave a mark on the places they go - few fundamentally change them for the better. Bob Parks is one of those few, and Eastern Michigan University will never fail to recognize him for his achievements and contributions to our department."
Wetherbee, speaking on current Director of Cross Country/Track & Field, and daughter of Bob Parks, Sue Parks, added "While we mourn and ultimately begin to celebrate the life of Coach Bob Parks, our entire Eastern Michigan family is also conscious of, and grieving alongside, Sue. Challenges like this are never easy, and our department is committed to helping Sue navigate this loss in every way we can."
"We are saddened by the loss of our father," added Sue Parks. "He touched countless lives and was a father figure and an inspiration to so many. He was as competitive as anyone but more importantly, he always wanted to ensure that his athletes were ready for the challenges of life when they left his program. He will long be remembered for his positive impact and the way that he treated people. We will all carry his passion, strength and fighting spirit with us
The most decorated coach in Eastern Michigan Athletics history, Parks' teams captured 31 MAC titles, and he was named MAC Coach of the Year 22 times. His teams won six NAIA and NCAA team titles, and he was named NCAA National Coach of the Year once and Regional Coach of the Year nine times.
Parks was a collegiate runner at Eastern Michigan from 1951-55 and was the school's head men's track & field and cross country coach for 34 years (1967-2001). He retired having established a tradition of success within the Eagles cross country and track and field programs.
Throughout his career, Parks coached numerous athletes who competed in the Olympics In fact, he coached an athlete in every Olympic Games from 1968 to 2012. The list of Olympians include: Hasely Crawford, Dave Ellis, Tony Nelson, Earl Jones, Tommy Asinga, Paul McMullen, Greg Rhymer, Clement Chukwu, Nduka Awazie, Fabian Rollins, and Jamie Nieto. Crawford won the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal in the 100m; Jones was the winner of the 1984 Olympic Bronze Medal in the 800m; and Chukwu and Awazie claimed the Silver Medal as part of a 4x400m relay team in the 2000 Games.
Parks coached 286 MAC and CCC conference champions and 31 NAIA and NCAA national champions, and his dual meet record stands at 162-14-1. He coached more than 110 All-Americans; many when only three were honored per event.
Parks is honored in the Eastern Michigan University Athletics and Drake Relays Halls of Fame, and both Eastern Michigan's indoor and outdoor tracks are named in his honor. He was named to the USTFCCA Hall of Fame in 2000, and the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 2015.
During his career, the Eastern Michigan cross country program compiled a dual meet record of 132-24-1 for a .843 winning percentage. His program was 75-16 (.824) in MAC action and won nine MAC titles.
Eastern Michigan student-athletes competed just as well on a national level. In his first five years, Parks led Eastern Michigan to the NAIA and /or NCAA Division II Championship meet every year and won the 1967 and 1970 NAIA National Championship, and the 1970 NCAA Division II National title.
After joining the MAC and moving up to NCAA Division I status in 1972, EMU won two district championships (1973, 1974) and qualified for the NCAA Championship meet seven times with the best finish coming in 1974 with a sixth-place finish. Parks' teams qualified for a national championship meet (NAIA, NCAA I, II) nine times in his first 10 years. Eastern Michigan also won seven Central Collegiate Conference crowns and nine Michigan Intercollegiate Championships. Parks was named MAC Coach of the Year seven times, was five-time CCC Coach of the Year and twice honored as NCAA District Coach of the Year (1973 and 1974).
Parks (9-6-1930) was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and grew up in Howell, Mich. At Howell High School, he played football, basketball, baseball, and track and was the Michigan high School Class B State Champion in the 440-yard dash. He was a three-time letterwinner in track at Michigan Normal College (now EMU), won the 1952 IIAC 880-yard run and was a member of the mile relay team that held the school record for 14 years.
He began his coaching career at Ferndale High School in 1952 and also coached at DeWitt High School and Redford Thurston H.S. from 1954-61, until joining the Western Michigan University track and cross country staff as an assistant coach in 1961 where he helped the Broncos to numerous MAC and CCC titles, as well as two NCAA Division I Championships in cross country. Parks left Western Michigan in January 1967, to return to his alma mater as head coach.
Parks completed his education degree in 1955. After retirement, he and his late wife, Pat, spent time and residence in White Lake, Mich. and Naples, Fla. They have four children, Nancy, Sue, Scott, and Steve (who passed away in 2012) .
A celebration of Bob's life will be planned at a later date when family, friends, and former student-athletes can attend.
Individuals wishing to make financial contributions in his honor are able to give to the "Bob Parks Track Dedication Fund" with a gift to EMU. For more information visit EMUEagles.com/give/BobParks.
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