Obituary of William "Bill" J. Agresta

Teacher, Mentor and Coach William J. Agresta "Bill", 81, of Hemlock, Michigan, passed away on May 31, 2020 after a short illness. The son of the late Dominick "Sam" and Mary Ellen (Setty) Agresta, Bill was born in Massena, New York on March 31, 1939. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1960. Bill taught and coached for 47 years, first at Saginaw's St. Mary's High School and then in the Hemlock Public Schools for four decades. At St. Mary's, Agresta was 31-21-1 as the football coach and 41-12 as the basketball coach. He went to Hemlock to coach the basketball team, going 64-11 with three league titles. He later became known as one of the top cross country coaches in the state, leading the Hemlock boys cross country team to 11 conference titles, eight Saginaw County championships, eight regional titles and two state titles in 2001 and 2002. His girls cross country team won five league titles, 11 Saginaw County championships and a second-place finish in the state. He also coached the Hemlock girls track team to a state title in 1995 and a second-place finish in 1996. Teaching and coaching were Bill's callings, and he was one of a kind. Bill leaves behind a powerful legacy of all of the students and athletes he inspired, motivated, and encouraged, in the classroom, on the basketball court, and on the track, road, and trail. His influence lives on in the lives he touched. Another way in which Bill supported students was in raising money for student scholarships. He helped administer the Roger Hansen scholarship for Saginaw County cross country runners. He also started the Peg Munger Scholarship Fund in 1991, collecting pop cans to raise money to help Hemlock students with college expenses. He added the Bill Agresta Scholarship Hustle (BASH) road race in 2007 to help with the Munger Fund. The BASH races have raised more than $150,000. Bill is survived by his children and grandchildren, a sister and a brother. In his honor, please consider a donation to the Bill Agresta's Hemlock Legends Fund at the Saginaw Community Foundation at https://saginawfoundation.thankyou4caring.org/bill-agresta. How to Be A Champion You wonder how they do it, You look to see the knack, You watch the foot in action, Or the shoulder or the back. But when you spot the answer Where the glamours lurk, You'll find in moving higher Up the laurel-covered spire, That most of it is practice, And the rest of it is work. — Grantland Rice