A High School Coaching Life 48 Years and Counting

Written by Kevin Williams, Head Girls Track & Field Coach Kelly Walsh HS, Casper, Wyoming

I have always loved sports, to the point that my first Halloween costume was going
trick or treating as Johnny Unitas. I guess my life’s path, and passion, began at an
early age. I was never a very good athlete myself, which may have led me to try to
help young people reach their potential and goals, regardless of innate physical
ability. It led to knowing that not all things come “naturally” and a majority need
to be taught, mentored, and counseled to reach their potential.

My first coaching gig was when I was in college and given a chance to help my
high school football coach. I hadn’t been doing it for a week and I knew this is
what I wanted to do for as long as I could. I wasn’t paid for the position, so I knew
that I was never going to be rich by doing it. I am still in contact with several of
those players from fifty years ago. That is why I know that my riches are not
reflected in my banking account.

My first coaching job that actually paid money was as an assistant football coach at
the rival school to where I played. I was given the same responsibilities that all the
other staff members were accountable for and the learning curve was very steep. I
grew to appreciate all that went into coaching apart from what happened on the
field and balancing a full time teaching position as well. From my time of sitting
in classrooms in high school and college, I realized that almost all of the best
instructors I had were also my coaches. That brought me to the realization that
coaching was teaching and to try to be the best I could at both.

I became a head girls track coach when my head football coach asked me to help
when he had been given the job. He decided two weeks before the season started
that he didn’t think he could coach girls and urged me to apply. At that time,

applying for the job consisted of going into the principal’s office and telling him
you were interested in the position. He told me that there were three other coaches
from the previous staff that basically had “dibs” on the job if they wanted it.
Circumstances warranted that none of them could, or wanted, to do it. I was the
fourth choice and ended up holding the position for thirty-eight years.

During that time, I was most fortunate to be able to hire a staff that was passionate
about the sport, knowledgable of the events, and always aspired to put the athlete’s
well being and success ahead of their own. I attribute this to the fact I was able to
do the job as long as I did. Not all coaches have this luxury and I can only imagine
the difficulties that they face.

When I retired from teaching, I also retired from being the head girls track and
field coach as I felt that the position would be best served by someone with a
presence in the building. Also, in no small part, the administrative end of the
position was wearing me out and was pulling me away from the passion I felt for
the job. After being out two years, the new head coach came and asked me to
come back as an assistant coach. After careful consideration, I accepted the
position and I find myself with a renewed passion for the profession, and as I write
this I just got back from helping with a summer injury prevention workout for all
girl athletes at our school.

I never was on social media when I was teaching and a head coach, basically
because I didn’t think it was a good idea for someone in my position to do it.
When I retired from coaching, at the urging of one of my former assistants, I
started a social media account to try to reconnect with old personal friends
unrelated to my coaching, and former athletes, to see on what course their lives had
taken them. I was overwhelmed with the response and what had happened since
they had graduated from high school.

I sit in my office writing this and on the walls are the reminders of accolades that
maybe one would expect from almost a half century in this life’s work. I have
been honored by inclusion into three different Halls of Fame and numerous state
and national Coach of the Year honors. I feel so honored by that, but I also realize
that is not the real reason I entered this career.

The rings and plaques are reminders of not what I have accomplished, but the
accomplishments of coaching colleagues and the thousands of high school athletes
that I was honored to work with. They are the reason they sit in my office, not what
I did. To get a note, or a comment on social media, an invitation to a wedding, a
happenstance meeting in the grocery store with a former athlete, that is what makes
this profession unlike any other. The visible awards on the wall are nice, but the
intrinsic rewards are by far the most rewarding.

When I started my career I thought the overall goal was to win championships and
hang banners. Then I read a book written by a former NFL player who was
coaching at the high school level. He alluded to the fact that athletic success goes
well beyond what is displayed in the trophy cases at schools. He said when asked
if the team he was coaching was going to be of championship quality, his reply was
to wait for a period of about 10 years. At that point in time, the team members
would have had the opportunity to display what kind of parents, spouses,
employment status, community involvement, and citizens they had become. Those
things were the indicators of a championship legacy, not a trophy or a banner.

Being a good coach is about building relationships with athletes. Can they trust
you? Can you trust them? Can you instill goal setting and striving to meet them?
Can you help guide decision making to a good pathway to take as far as personal
character is concerned. Do you realize that every athlete has a story and you may
not even know what is going on in their life?

I have put myself in this situation for almost half a century and I have zero regrets.
If you have read this, it probably means you too are following this path. You are to
be congratulated and lauded for taking on a task that in today’s world is becoming
more and more difficult. Please remember that all the tactile, visible evidence of
success, may be hung on the wall of your office presently or will be soon. Please
remember as nice as those are, the relationships you are building with the athletes
in your charge and your coaching colleagues are the most important things you are
doing.

Kevin Williams Head Girls Track & Field Coach Kelly Walsh High School | Casper, Wyoming

Kevin Williams began his coaching career in 1976 at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, Wyoming, where he dedicated his entire career to developing young athletes. With a career spanning over 40 years, Kevin's impact on high school athletics has been profound and enduring.

Kevin is particularly noted for his remarkable success in girls' track and field. Over his distinguished career, he led his teams to impressive achievements, including regional championships, state runner-up titles, and a state championship. His teams consistently performed at a high level, finishing in the top 4 at the state meet. His coaching excellence was recognized with numerous accolades, including being named Regional Coach of the Year numerous times and Wyoming Coaches Association Girls Track Coach of the Year on a number of occasions.

In addition to his track and field successes, Kevin also made significant contributions as an assistant football coach. He was part of the coaching staff for 2 state championship football teams and was honored twice as the Wyoming Coaches Association Assistant Football Coach of the Year.

Kevin Williams' dedication and success were honored with his induction into the Wyoming Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003, recognizing his exceptional contributions to high school athletics. His legacy continues to inspire both current and future generations of coaches and athletes.