Former CFISD Coaches Inducted Into Area Track and Field Hall of HonorÂ
Former longtime CFISD track and field coaches Greg Hershman and Mike Long were recently inducted into the Gulf Coast Scholastic Track Coaches Association (GCSTCA) Hall of Honor, joining two fellow Class of 2022 honorees during the association’s 26th annual clinic on Dec. 10 at the University of Houston Athletics/Alumni Center.
The hall of honor began in 2001 and recognizes the achievements and contributions to the sport of track and field by coaches and officials.
A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada, Hershman attended the University of Houston on a cross country and track and field scholarship. He competed in the Canadian Junior Championships and represented his province in the Canadian Olympic trials. His coaching career began at Mankato State University.
Hershman returned to Houston in 1993, beginning his teaching career at Hancock Elementary School. He later moved to Cy-Fair High School where he led the Bobcats to seven girls’ cross country and track and field district championships. Hershman was then named Cypress Ranch High School’s first girls’ cross country and track and field coach, serving in the role until his retirement in 2012.
During his tenure, Hershman was named the Girls’ Cross Country Coach of the Year by the Houston Chronicle, led numerous district, regional and state winners and helped place student-athletes into elite collegiate program across the country.
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Long attended Prairie View A&M University on a track and field scholarship where he was coached by the late Hoover Wright, a hall of fame head coach who led the Panthers to multiple national titles and served three times with the United State National Track and Field team.
After earning his degree, Long began his career as an elementary physical education teacher in Alief ISD. He then moved to CFISD where he spent 34 years before retiring in 2016. Long served at Lowery Elementary School, Labay Middle School, Truitt Middle School and Langham Creek High School. He was then named Cypress Ridge High School’s first boys’ track and field coach, serving in the role until his retirement.
Long helped lead Cypress Ridge to two district championships and one state championship appearance and developed numerous student-athletes reach their potential and advance to the collegiate ranks.
