When Kevin M. Touhey would speak to football players at Shawnee High School in Medford, he wouldn't talk about winning.

"He was trying to get them to trust each other," said Tim Gushue, head football coach there.

"He was focusing on the intrinsic value of playing sports."

As the team approached the 2002 season, "we were struggling, a dysfunctional group," Gushue said, until a friend recommended Mr. Touhey.

Since 2002, when Mr. Touhey began his weekly motivational sessions during each football season, Gushue said, "we've won six state championships."

On Monday, Feb. 29, Mr. Touhey, 64, of Medford, owner of a home-based motivational company, died of lung cancer at home.

In 1992, Mr. Touhey founded Elite Performance Systems, which he described as a "character-building, team-building program."

Interviewed on the phone while walking near Lincoln Center in New York City on Wednesday afternoon, Gushue was quick to note that Mr. Touhey's focus "was not about winning."

"Winning," he said, "was the icing on the cake."

Mr. Touhey's brother, Patrick, saw that too, when he was head women's basketball coach at Niles (Mich.) High School from 2008 to 2013.

Patrick Touhey said his brother "came out two or three times during the course of the season" for "dedicated workshops, away from the basketball floor."

There, his purpose was to put "the kids in touch with the spirit of sport and the fun of it."

Kevin Touhey wrote two self-help books. In 2007, Miracle Press published The Miracle of Optimism: Change Your Perspective, Transform Your Life.

In 2010, Archer-Ellison Publishing brought out The Agony of Winning: Seven Strategies for Winning Bigger. Its foreword was written by former Temple University football coach Al Golden.

Born in Passaic, N.J., Mr. Touhey graduated from Dover (N.J.) High School in 1969, where, his brother said, the basketball coach named him one of the two most valuable players for his play as a guard in his senior year.

Mr. Touhey earned a bachelor's degree in recreation administration at Kean University in 1974 and a master's in sports management in the late 1970s at the State University of New York at Cortland.

From 1979 to 1985, he was at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, first as director of student activities, then as director of athletics and head basketball coach.

In 1990, the college named him to its hall of fame.

From 1985 to 1988, he was in the University of Pennsylvania basketball program, jointly as head junior varsity coach and assistant varsity coach.

At one point, he was a board member at the Starting Point of New Jersey in Haddon Heights, whose website describes it as a "transition house for alcoholics" that runs an outpatient program.

He is survived by his wife, Annabelle Estacio-Touhey; mother Hildegarde; daughters Serena and Ava; five brothers, and three sisters.

Visitations were set from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, and 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 4, at the Bradley Funeral Home, 601 Route 73 S., Marlton.

A memorial service is set from 1 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Assembly of God Church, 625 E. Main St. Marlton. Interment is to be private.

Donations may be sent to Kevin Touhey's Miracle Fund at www.youcaring.com.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.bradleyfhmarlton.com.

wnaedele@phillynews.com

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