(First published March 29; last updated May 23)
The following is a list of coaching changes that will take place in 2012:
Big Horn: Bert Dow and the rest of the Rams’ coaching staff was let go after an incident during the 2011 season. Michael McGuire, who was the head coach at Riverside from 2006-09 and was an assistant at Sheridan the past couple seasons, was named head coach in April.
Big Piney: Cole Clifford is out after four years as the Punchers’ head coach. Aaron Makelky, son of Pinedale AD Jeff Makelky, has been named as Clifford’s replacement, Big Piney AD Nathan Strong said in an email to wyoming-football.com.
Buffalo: Pat Lynch resigned as head coach after an incident during the 2011 season. Rob Hammond, a junior high social studies teacher in Buffalo, was hired in May as the new head coach, Buffalo AD Shad Spilski said in an email to Wyoming media.
Farson: Marvin “Trip” Applequist will replace Ryan Lane as Farson’s head coach, AD Dan Mitchelson said in an email to wyoming-football.com in June. Applequist has coached Farson’s junior high football and assisted with the high school team and is also Farson’s girls basketball coach.
Greybull: Justin Bernhardt will replace Josh Heinemeyer as head coach of the Buffaloes. Bernhardt, who was previously a coach in Nebraska and was also at Rocky Mountain College as an assistant, is Greybull’s third coach in three years.
Laramie: Bob Knapton resigned after four years with the Plainsmen. Lyman coach Ted Holmstrom was named Knapton’s replacement in April.
Lyman: Holmstrom resigned his post in Lyman to take the job in Laramie. Dale Anderson, who was the head coach at Star Valley from 2005-07 and coached at three schools in Idaho the past four years (Madison in 2008-09, Salmon in 2010 and Ririe in 2011), was hired as the new coach in April.
Mountain View: Tim Gonzales stepped down after nine years as the Buffalos’ head coach. Brent Walk, who has coached in Mountain View the past five years, has been named the new head coach.
Normative Services: Jon Rojo will take over the Wolves’ football program this fall. Rojo, a Sheridan native who coached the NSI basketball program last winter, replaces Jim Larson. Wolves AD Shane Parker verified the change to wyoming-football.com in an email in June.
Tongue River: The Eagles did not field a team in 2011. Chuck Walters, who led the Eagles from 2006 to 2010, is out as coach. John Scott, who led Kemmerer to state championships in 1993 and 1994 and Gillette to titles in 1998 and 2000 before coaching at Black Hills State, was named the new coach in April.
Worland: Wade Sanford, coach of the Warriors since 2000, stepped down at the season’s end. Curt Mayer, a Ten Sleep native and an elementary PE teacher in Worland who had been an assistant coach with the Warriors, was named head coach in April, and verified the change to wyoming-football.com in April.
Wyoming Indian: Taylor Her Many Horses has been hired to replace Phil Garhart as coach of the Chiefs. Her Many Horses has been Wyoming Indian’s wrestling coach the past couple years. Garhart verified the change to wyoming-football.com in May.
Have you heard of any other coaching changes coming up for 2012? If so, let me know: email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com, tweet to @wyomingfootball or post a comment below.
–patrick
Brent Walk was named head coach for Mt. View
Thanks for the heads up, vice!
–patrick
Big Piney’s Head Coach Clifford has stepped down.
Greybull Head Coach Heinemeyer has stepped down.
Wow-2A will have a different feel to it next year, especially in the west.
GO RANGERS!!
I see in the Greybull Standard that the new Buff coach is Justin Bernhardt. Not sure who he replaces, but the paper says new football coach in Greybull.
Thanks for the tip, Steve! I had heard Greybull was looking for a new coach but I had been unable to verify it. I will update this right now!
–patrick
Patrick,
I thought you told me McGuire had no interest in the Big Horn job.
I didn’t just tell you; I told everybody! At the time, McGuire emailed me directly and told me he had no interest in the Big Horn job. He obviously changed his mind and applied. Yeah it makes me look bad, but that is the game.
–Patrick
Sorry Patrick! Circumstances changed but I’m now very excited about the new opportunity!
No biggie. Like I said, that’s the game. Not sweating it. š
–patrick