Former Northglenn coach Dick Hatch died Nov. 25 from acute leukemia. He was 72.

Hatch coached the Norse boys basketball team for seven years from 1979-1986. Although his tenure didn’t last too long, Hatch was in the district for 33 years. He taught physical education and also coached football, track and boys golf. Hatch was also the winningest boy’s basketball coach in Northglenn history with 89 victories.

“He was the life of the P.E. department,” said Rich Czernicki, former Northglenn JV boy’s basketball coach. “We experienced reality TV back then, always making us laugh.”

Czernicki played basketball for Hatch at the former Irma Wyco Junior High School from 1969-1970. He was the JV coach at Northglenn when Hatch was the varsity coach. Czernicki is now retired after being a teacher for 30 years.

“He was a good man,” Czernicki said. “We always played great defense.”

Hatch fought a short battle with lymphoma from 1993 to 1994, but eventually overcame the cancer. Three years later, he retired from the Adams 12 School District in 1997.

The funeral for Hatch is at 10 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Brighton United Methodist Church on 625 S. 8th Ave. in Brighton.