Stan Ingram came to North High School in 1964 by way of the University of Colorado in Boulder where he earned his Master’s degree. Born and raised in Kansas, Stan attended the University of Kansas on a partial athletic scholarship. In 1959, Stan was a member of the NCAA Championship Track and Field Team along with BC’s Bob Covey, and, Olympian, Bill Mills.
North High was Stan’s one and only teaching/coaching job. He taught PE and mentored many accomplished athletes in track and cross country for 31 years. Stan considers Linda Goen Hatcher, also a member of the Hall of Fame, as his most outstanding and talented runner. He got to know a more personal side of his athletes by sponsoring the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for many of his 31 years.
Stan and his wife, Judy, moved to Kansas upon his retirement to be closer to family, but many of his students continue to stay in touch with them. One in particular is Ron Jones who is a health and fitness professional in Valencia, California, and, who was a student/athlete at North High graduating in 1978.
Ron shares this about Coach Ingram: “To talk about ‘Coach’ Ingram, I must first talk about Stan as a person. Decades later, after North High, Stan still remains as one of the most honorable men I have ever known. His kindness, support, demeanor, quiet humor, and humility remain as fresh today in my soul as in 1978. I remember looking up to him because he continued to exercise daily and stay in shape-I never forgot it…..my roots to lead by example go back to Stan Ingram at North High School.”
He goes on to say, “Stan taught us to go the proverbial distance. We loved his confident leadership and strove to be our best while also enjoying our teammates. I remember his calm Midwestern sayings from Kansas. During challenging workouts or meets, he would remind us to ‘bow our necks’. We leaned into the fray and kept going. I must have reflected thousands of times in my life about very difficult and challenging circumstances -so many times I flashed back to North High and Stan Ingram. He taught me about that extra gear required, not just for distance running, but, for running my life and career.”
“I have met other former Stan Ingram runners from North High….regardless of the era or year, they all have the same positive reflections of their experience there under Coach Ingram. We all loved him beyond running because of the person he was and the example he provided to be a good, honest, hard working citizen-and then to run our best too. Last year, I began teaching movement classes on running and went right back to the ‘vintage drills’ Stan Ingram taught us…they still work today.”
“Thank you Coach Ingram..they were truly some of the best times of my life. Your guidance, your passionate desire to coach, your leading by example as a healthy and fit coach has never left me. I am a better person because of your running program and friendship. Your Stars shine bright.”
Another former student/athlete, Rob Bray, a principal in the Rosedale School District, remembers Stan as “an absolutely outstanding coach who cared deeply for every athlete…regardless of their abilities. People like Stan Ingram don’t come around often in one’s lifetime, and, typically, it’s not until much later in life that you realize their influence on you. It was his strength of character that made him someone worthy to emulate, look up to, and, remember. Integrity pretty much defines what Coach Ingram has always been about, and, to this day, I know of no one who demonstrates that exceptional quality to the extent that he does. I feel so very blessed to have had those four years with him at North High, and, certainly, there can be no one more deserving of this recognition.”
Stan is so thankful for his 31 years at North High; a most positive experience with administration, teachers, and students.