A legendary football coach at East Grand Rapids High, George “Bar” Barcheski posted a record of 238-53-3, won 18 conference titles, made 10 state playoff appearances and won five state championships with one runner-up finish during his 30 years there.
The five state titles spanned three decades (1976, ’79, ’83, ’93 and ’95). His first team East was 4-3-1 in 1970, and then starting with the last three games of the 6-3 season of 1971 his teams went 29-0-1 through the end of 1974. The first state title once high school playoffs were established came in 1976.
He won multiple Coach of the Year awards and his 238 wins at East was 33rd all-time in the Michigan High School Athletic Association record book as of 2020. His .815 winning percentage as a coach remains third best all-time behind only Larry Ledlow of Schoolcraft (.853) and John Schwartz of Mendon (.851).
A graduate of Catholic Central High where he was a standout athlete, Barcheski served two years in the U.S. Marine Corps before attending Aquinas College. He starred in baseball at Aquinas as a pitcher and third baseman.
His professional career as a teacher and coach included stints at Northview High School and Catholic Central before he became varsity head coach at East. He coached the junior varsity at Northview and the freshman at Catholic Central with great success and his overall career coaching record was 312-64-4.
He died in March of 2018. He was 82.