Big Piney hires Visser to be new head football coach

Ryan Visser has been chosen to be the new head football coach at Big Piney.

Big Piney activities director Scott Carpenter verified Visser’s hire by the Sublette County School District No. 9 board, which approved Visser in its meeting Tuesday night.

Visser, a native of Preston, Idaho, who graduated from Preston High School in 2011, was an assistant coach for the Preston football team for six years. He coached freshman, JV and varsity levels, working with offense, defense and special teams.

“In that time I worked for three head coaches and I feel like the differences in coaching staffs and philosophy has helped me form my own coaching philosophy and style,” Visser said in an email to wyoming-football.com on Wednesday.

He teaches criminal justice and weightlifting courses at Preston High and will teach social studies at Big Piney.

“My wife and I were impressed with the school, the administration and the impression the town left on us,” Visser said. “We decided heading three hours east would be a great opportunity and adventure.”

Visser will replace Aaron Makelky, who was hired to be the new head coach at Kelly Walsh in March.

Big Piney is coming off back-to-back playoff berths and winning seasons; the Punchers reached the Class 2A semifinals in 2017.

Other Wyoming high schools with new head coaches for 2019 include Kelly Walsh, Gillette, Rock Springs, Evanston, Torrington, Glenrock and Lovell. Other schools looking for new head coaches include Pinedale, Wyoming Indian and Meeteetse. If you know of other head coaching changes statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Updated at 7:27 p.m. Wednesday, May 22 with comments from Visser.