NJSGA Champ Fran Gacos & Husband Coach Teams At Hunterdon Central

By John Haley | For NJ Advance Media

When the Gacos family joined the Copper Hill Country Club in Ringoes in 1985 Frances Gacos began to question her husband Chris.

She didn't really play golf, so why would they want to join a country club where golf is the center of attraction.

Fast forward 32 years later and there are no more questions.

Taking up the sport at a late age, to say Fran Gacos took to the game of golf would be an understatement.

Just google her name and you can see the results over the years -- 18 club championships, 10 New Jersey State Golf Association Championships, including four State Senior Amateurs, two State Mid-Amateurs, four State Mixed Pinehurst titles, including 2016 with John Feindt, she was the 2012 Women's Metropolitan Golf Association Player of the Year and was one of three women of any age to represent New Jersey in the USGA State Team Tournament -- she did that twice -- and the list goes on.

Gacos is not slowing down any time soon as she begins her quest for another banner season individually, but at this time of year, she sacrifices her game to focus on coaching the Hunterdon Central High School girls golf team.

The founder of the program 11 years ago, Gacos ran it as a volunteer before becoming the head coach in 2015 when the United States Golf Association changed its rule about allowing members to coach without jeopardizing her amateur status.

The 2017 season will be much different for Frances Gacos because her husband Chris will be taking over as the Hunterdon Central boys coach.

Larry Reis was the boys coach for 35 years before Mark Pearce took over last year. Pearce would only be there for one year, so when a search began, retiring Athletic Director Bob Rossi had an idea to ask Gacos to take over, Chris Gacos that is.

"I told Mike Raymond, the new AD, that I would apply,'' said Chris, an avid Hunterdon Central athletic supporter. "I'm so glad I did because I'm having so much fun.''

Fran and Chris Gacos do everything together.

They are involved in many activities at Copper Hill, they own 'Sneakers Plus', a long-time, successful athletic retail store which is the official on-line service for Athletic Directors across the the state and now they are coaching together. Oh, and by the way, he is her caddy too!

"We take the boys and girls team out to play together and we do a lot of community things together,'' said Chris, who played basketball at Seton Hall Prep. "Fran is a scratch golfer, I am a 10-handicap, so I can't teach them how to make certain shots, but I can use her expertise to teach them how to approach certain situations. I think we make a great team.''

They also recommend PGA members like Jason Cramer, Copper Hill CC and Rob Mauer, Paradise Golf Range, to work with their students.

Success is nothing new to the Gacos family.

Son Christopher Gacos, 32, who works in the family business, won the 2003 Hunterdon County Invitational at Hunterdon Central and is tied for the lowest score on a par-35 course with a 34. Daughter Nicole, 35, who works in the entertainment industry in Hollywood, played third base on the 1999 Group 4 championship softball team at Hunterdon Central, one of just two in school history.

Fran, who played softball and field hockey at Hunterdon Central, began the girls golf program in 2007 and the Red Devils would go on to win the Tournament of Champions in 2008, '09 and '10.

The girls game has caught on in New Jersey and teams such as Ridge, Red Bank Catholic, Montgomery and West Windsor-Plainsboro North have emerged as state powers, but Hunterdon Central is still right there. Last season, the top three teams at the T of C were RBC, Ridge and Hunterdon Central.

The Red Devils boast one of the best players in the state in senior Katie Lee, the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament champion who finished second at the NJSIAA North Jersey Sectional and sixth at the Tournament of Champions.

"We're all excited about the season,'' said Fran, who still resides in Flemington with her husband. "We have more depth than usual and the kids have worked hard. We are like a family and the support we have for each other is rewarding.''

In more ways than one.