Category Archives: Coaches Project

Jerome Pouska, a former Riverside assistant coach, will be the new head football coach at Greybull.

The Greybull Standard first reported the hiring in its Thursday edition, noting that Pouska’s hiring was made official at the April 12 board meeting for Big Horn County School District No. 3.

Pouska works for Big Horn County as a maintenance supervisor.

Class 4A Laramie is the only other Wyoming program to have hired a new head football coach for 2021 at this point, and no other school has announced an open head coaching position for football. If you know of other head coaching changes in the state, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Paul Ronga, a veteran high school football coach who’s spent nearly three decades coaching in New York, will be the next head coach for the Laramie Plainsmen.

The Albany County School District announced Ronga’s hiring on its website Friday.

The district release said Ronga has spent more than 25 years in coaching, all in New York. Most recently, he was the head coach at Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, New York, last year. He was also the head coach at Saunders High School in Yonkers, New York, from 2013-17; Lincoln High School in Yonkers, in 1997; and Iona Grammar School in New Rochelle, New York, in 1992.

Ronga takes over a Laramie program that hasn’t had a winning season since finishing as Class 4A runners-up in 2000.

“I am aware of the challenge ahead of me, and I will do all I can to give back to the community and to Laramie High School,” Ronga said in the release. “I have been a fan of Wyoming sports for many years, and I respect the excellent sports programs that Laramie High School has under (activities director) Ron Wagner. … I hope to work hand in hand with the assistants, players, administration, community, and Mr. Wagner to do all we can to rebuild and restore Laramie High School football and Plainsmen pride.”

Ronga has been involved in coaching high school football since 1992, the district release said. He also had high school coaching experience at Lakeland High School in Shrub Oak, New York; Walter Panas High School; Haldane High School in Cold Spring, New York; Lincoln High School in Yonkers, New York; and Westlake High School in Thornwood, N.Y. He also was the president and coach of the Cortlandt Manor youth football organization, the Cortlandt Panthers, for four years.

Ronga was a running back at Marist College, finishing his career in 1988.

“He has close, personal connections to Laramie and has a passion and excitement for football that is contagious,” Wagner said in the release. “His preparation and attention to detail was evident during the hiring process and will serve LHS and the football program well.”

Class 1A nine-man program Greybull is the only other Wyoming program seeking a new head football coach at this point. If you know of other head coaching changes in the state, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Eli Moody, the head coach at Greybull the past three seasons, has resigned as the Buffaloes’ leader.

Greybull activities director Nolan Tracy confirmed Moody’s resignation in an email to wyoming-football.com on Friday. Moody did not return an email sent Thursday.

Greybull went to the playoffs twice in Moody’s three years but never advanced past the first round. In the last three years, Greybull has gone a combined 8-18.

The Buffs went 2-7 last year, falling to Lusk in the first round of the Class 1A nine-man playoffs.

Tracy said the position has not yet been posted, but he said the position would likely be posted after New Year’s.

Class 4A Laramie is also seeking a new head coach this offseason. If you know of other head coaching changes in the state, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Clint Reed, who has been the head football coach at Laramie the past four seasons, won’t return as the Plainsmen’s head coach in 2021.

Reed’s resignation came Wednesday, a report from KOWB-1290 AM Radio in Laramie said. Laramie activities director Ron Wagner released a statement acknowledging Reed’s contributions to the program.

Reed confirmed via email to wyoming-football.com on Thursday that he was no longer part of the program.

“I would’ve liked to continue as a coach, but after discussions with our administration it became clear it was best for me to step down,” Reed said via email. “My hope is that the next coach will continue to work on the foundation and help Laramie become a competitive and winning program.”

Reed will continue to teach math at Laramie High School.

Reed has been with the Laramie program for close to two decades, the last four as head coach.

Laramie has a combined record of 10-29 the past four seasons, including a 2-8 mark in 2020. The Plainsmen haven’t had a winning season or won a playoff game since going 9-1 and finishing as Class 4A runners-up in 2000.

Reed’s resignation is the first reported head coaching change in Wyoming this offseason. If you know of other head coaching changes, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Note: This post was updated at 8:43 p.m. MST Dec. 17 with comments from Reed.

Fewer new coaches were hired in the 2020 offseason than in any season in more than 20 years.

With only seven new head coaches statewide — Kevin Cuthbertson at Green River, Joe Campbell at Midwest, Chase Kistler at Powell, Greg Mendenhall at Riverside, Troy Anderson at Riverton, Dane Weaver at Ten Sleep and Patrick Sweeney at Worland — Wyoming has fewer new head coaches than in any year since 1997.

In 1997, as well as in 1996 and 1985, only six new head coaches were hired statewide, although Wyoming did have fewer football programs at those times.

Since 1997, the number of new head football coaches statewide has varied between eight and 14 in any given year. There were 14 new head coaches prior to both the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

–patrick