Joe Hay, GGHS football coach, was 42

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ggjournal

– January 27, 2012Posted in: Sports

Joe Hay, the former Garden Grove High School football coach who led the team to its first trip to a CIF championship football final since the mid-Forties, was found dead at his home this week.

According to Alan Trudell, spokesman for the Garden Grove Unified School District, Hay, 42, was a physical education teacher at Doig Intermediate School this year. He coached the Argonauts to the CIF Southern Division finals in 2009, then stepped down for “health reasons.”

The 2010 team, coached by Willy Puga, won the CIF title the next year, defeating Beckman 31-30. It was Grove’s first CIF section title in football, and the first in any boys’ sport. Only one other GGUSD school has ever won a CIF football crown, that being Bolsa Grande in 1986, winning the Central Division title.

Preliminary indications are that Hay died in his sleep, possibly from a heart attack. The announcement was made Friday to GGHS as well as Doig. Memorial service details are pending.

 

Tags: Alan Trudell, Garden Grove High School, Garden Grove Unified School District, Joe Hay

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10 Comments

1. Bernie

   Posted January 27, 2012 at 7:49 PM

   please post info for Mr Hay’s memorial services..

2. Tania Heinle

   Posted January 28, 2012 at 12:45 AM

   RIP Coach Hay

3. Carlos Ayala

   Posted January 28, 2012 at 10:58 AM

   Mr. Hay what a great P.E teacher, Doig will miss you a lot. :’(
   “Finish strong” like he will always tell us during the mile….

4. vanessa Herrera

   Posted January 28, 2012 at 6:50 PM

   Coach i will always miss your teasing about my height RIP <3

   Please any info about a memorial service would be nice…

5. gilbert sanchez

   Posted January 29, 2012 at 11:09 AM

   RIP Mr.Hay we will miss you so much…please leave info about the memorial service

6. Aileen Dinh

   Posted January 29, 2012 at 11:51 AM

   Mr. Hay!! Rest In Peace!! U will be missed!!

7. daniel and fabian

   Posted January 30, 2012 at 2:43 PM

   we will always have you in our hearts and we will never forget you

8. Beth Rodriguez

   Posted January 30, 2012 at 6:23 PM

   I will miss u Mr. Hay.U were the best teacher ever. Hope u RIP. U always said “Finish strong” and encouraged me all the time.

9. Julie Yampol

   Posted January 31, 2012 at 1:41 PM

   Sending my prayers to the family and friends of Joseph Hay.
   It was an honor to have met you. You’ll always be an isnpiration to all of us.

10. Kevin Sanchez

    Posted February 11, 2012 at 10:41 PM

    RIP Dr.Hay you will be missed
    Like he said “Finish Strong” during the mile you will be missed