About Alan Gooch
About Alan Gooch
Alan Gooch is the CEO of the Orlando Sports Foundation
(OSF) a non-profit membership organization, founded in 2008, to raise awareness of and funds for cancer research through development of sporting and social events. The Orlando Sports Foundation's signature event is the Cure Bowl,
an NCAA college football game televised nationally on ESPN from Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Through his role as Executive Director of the Cure Bowl, Alan leads development of strategic partnerships for an event, that since 2015, has raised $3.7 million to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation; with $1.2 million of the funds directly benefiting the UCF College of Medicine Burnett School of Biomedical Science's
Cancer Research Center.
Under Alan's leadership the Orlando Sports Foundation launched the Cure Cup
- an annual charity golf tournament played in rotation between Orlando's two most exclusive golf courses: Isleworth Golf and Country and Lake Nona Golf and Country Club.
Alan is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, University of Central Florida, where he teaches coaching method classes. Gooch served over 25 years at the University of Central Florida, as both a student athlete and a member of the football coaching staff. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Science and Physical Education and his Master of Arts Degree in Exercise Physiology. After Coach Gooch was inducted in the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame he continued his sports marketing and philanthropic work in Orlando while, in 2007, founding TIZON Commercial
a dedicated consortium of real estate professionals representing clients in investor acquisitions and tenant services. The following year Alan found himself back in football, this time as President and General Manager of the Orlando Predators, a two-time world-champion Arena Football League organization. From his experience motivating college football players to be their best on the field, Alan Gooch was inspired to create E4S Competitive Greatness -
a program designed for teams and individuals who are looking to grow their overall effectiveness in life.
In 2006, Alan was inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame
and in 2007 he was named “Educator of the Decade” by the UCF College of Education. Before he completed his collegiate coaching career in 2003 as the interim head coach, Alan had the distinction of being one of only two Division I-A college coaches, ever to rise from player to assistant coach and to head coach -without leaving their alma mater. Coach Gooch’s ties to the University run beyond his coaching years as he is a former football player/letterman for the Knights, UCF Alumni board member, 3-term UCF lettermen club President and UCF Alumni Service award-winner.
In his tenure at UCF Coach Gooch also served eight years as the recruiting coordinator during UCF’s moves from Division II, I-AA and I-A. In 1997 Coach Gooch and former UCF tailback Dwight Collins who is deaf gained national media attention for their work together. Consequently, Dwight Collins received ESPN’s ESPY National Spirit Award given each year to College Football’s Most Courageous Player
at the Home Depot College Football Awards
Ceremony. At a White House ceremony in April 1998, Coach Gooch and Dwight Collins were recognized (for their work together) by President Clinton and the National Consortium for Academics and Sports. Later that same year, Alan Gooch was selected as a finalist for the 1998 National Student-Athlete Day GIANT STEPS Award in the category of Collegiate Coach. Also in 1998, the American Football Coaches Association honored Alan as the Inaugural NCAA division I-A Assistant Football Coach of the Year at the national convention in Dallas.
NCAA All Americans and UCF Hall of Fame members Willie English, Marquette Smith and Elgin Davis are just three NFL running backs that played for Coach Gooch. Others who went on to play in the NFL include Aaron Sam, Terrance Williams, Dee Brown and Alex Haynes. Upon leaving coaching in 2004, Mr. Gooch accepted a position as Executive Director of the UCF Athletic Department’s Golden Knights Club and in 11 months the GKC doubled its annual fund from $625,000 to $1,200,000 Million.
Alan serves the community as an ambassador for many missions and brands. Alan is married to Linda Gooch, University of Central Florida's four-time national Cheerleading coach. Alan and Linda have two adult children.