Hill resigns as GCHS head football coach
Garden City High School football team hosted Dodge City High School on Friday October, 13, 2023 at Buffalo Stadium in Garden City, Kan. for the Hatchet Game The Buffaloes defeated the Red Demons 30 - 13. Photo credits; Adam Shrimplin, Shrimplin Photography
Garden City, KS (Western Kansas News) – In a statement released to his social media on Tuesday, Brian Hill resigned his position as the longest tenured football coach in Garden City High School history.
“After 15 years I write this letter to announce my resignation as the Head Football Coach at Garden City High School, A position I have been privileged to hold,” Hill posted on his X account. “This decision did not come easily, as this role has been one of the most meaningful and fulfilling chapters of my life.”
Hill, who just completed year 15 as the head man for GCHS Football, finishes his tenure as the second-winningest head coach in program history, posting a 79-65 record for a .549 winning percentage, with 5 WAC Championships. He finishes trailing the winningest head coach in Dave Meadows (88 total wins) by 9 games.
In a statement by the school, athletic director Matt Bayer expressed his gratitude for Coach Hill.
“I can’t thank Coach Hill enough for all he has done for Garden City High School over the past 15 years,” emphasized Bayer. “He has been a tremendous leader, role model, and coach. He will be missed and hard to replace.”
Garden City High School Football ended the 2024 campaign with a 2-7 record after a 34-7 loss to rival Dodge City in the first round of the 6A State Playoffs. The Buffaloes posted a winless mark of 0-4 in WAC play after sustaining key injuries along the offensive skill positions. Of note, GCHS dropped game one of the season in a 57-21 thrashing by, at the time, #3 Manhattan High School. The Indians play on Friday for the 6A State Championship after going undefeated on the season and upsetting what many Kansas high school football pundits called the greatest Derby team of all time in a matchup of perineal powers last Friday. GCHS players the back half of a home-and-home series with Manhattan next year in the Little Apple to start the season.
Coach Hill’s time as the head coach of GCHS football had significant highs that represented a collection of the best teams in GCHS history. The 2017 squad posted an 8-3 record and advance to the state quarterfinals, the 2016 team went undefeated in the regular season and won the WAC championship before losing in the second round of the state playoffs to Lawrence-Free State High School, and the 2013 team advanced to the state semifinals before being eliminated by Derby one game short of a state championship appearance. He also coached 11 Kansas Shrine Bowl selections and was a three-time Shrine Bowl coach himself, twice as an assistant coach and once as the head coach in 2012. In a section of his statement on X directed specifically to his players, both past and present, Coach Hill also noted the team accomplishments under his leadership.
“I am so proud of what we achieved together: we set 28 school records, had the largest comeback win in school history, including having three of the top five all-time leading rushers, the top three all-time leading passers, and the top three all-time leading receivers, to winning the Hatchet a record eight times, scoring the most points in a season in school history, and had the largest comeback win in school history. These accomplishments are a testament to your hard work, determination, and belief in yourselves.”
Coach Hill verified to GCHS reporter Brett Marshall that he still intends to finish out as the head coach of the track and field team.
“I’m going to be selective in what I choose to do, I’m just stepping down from the one position. I know I still want to coach football in the future because that’s who I am. I just felt like I’ve been in Garden City 25 years and it was a good time to look at a change.”
Hill, a graduate of Holcomb High School where he played for the Longhorns, also played two years as quarterback for the Broncbusters of Garden City Community College. From there, he finished his collegiate career at Emporia State University. Hill then coached as the offensive coordinator at Hutchinson Community College from 1995-2000 and before returning as the OC for GCCC Football from 2000-2010 before being picked up as the head coach of GCHS Football.
Comments across social media on Hill’s resignation letter expressed thankfulness for his time at Garden City High School and well-wishes for his future endeavors.
