Coach. Roy Bassett earned the title of “Coach.” For 40 years, he coached high school athletics at Nelson and Hastings High Schools. From 1932 to 1937, he coached football, basketball and track at Nelson, a coaching load he would take on for a few years at Hastings High School. He was the head football coach at Hastings from 1944 to 1953, the head basketball coach in 1944 and from 1947 to 1952, and the head track coach from 1944 to 1972. His basketball team of 1949 was the state runner-up. In track, he coached 16 gold medalists and the Tigers brought home the runner-up trophy from the state meet in 1963 and 1971. He added another coaching title in 1956 when Hastings added cross country. He continued to coach that team until 1972.His Tigers were considered the best team in the state in 1958 and 1959. A standout athlete at Hastings High, he was the all-state basketball center in 1927, leading the Tigers to a school-record 17 straight victories.
