The Gettysburg Area School District directors have decided to end Ray Gouker's two-year stint as head football coach at Gettysburg High School.

Board president Todd Orner said superintendent Larry Redding approached the board in late February or early March about opening the position. The length of each coach's contract is just one school year.

The board asked Gettysburg interim athletic director Carlos Wampler and principal Mark Blanchard to give Gouker the news. Wampler, when contacted Friday, said he didn't know the board's reasoning.

Gouker, who was disappointed with the limited time he had to prove himself as a coach, thought the board decided to remove him because of a large number of teaching positions that will be opening.

"I feel as if, when you try to build a program, it takes more than two years," he said. "It just seems as if that may be true, but if they gave me another year, they wouldn't have the openings to go look for another coach. I guess they didn't want to take that chance."

Orner said the plan is to hire a new coach as soon as possible. A job posting will likely be posted next week and applications must be accepted for at least seven days.

Gouker will continue teaching multimedia at the high school, but said he doesn't have immediate plans to pursue a coaching job. There are a few things he'd like to do, though.

"I'm going to get the oil on my car changed, mow the grass. I'll get my taxes done. I'll be available for my daughter when she

Advertisement
needs a ride somewhere," he said. "I have a lot of stuff I need to catch up on. This was a very serious endeavor for me."

The Warriors, who went 8-13 under Gouker, lost volunteer assistant James Thurston from their coaching staff. He became New Oxford High's head football coach Monday.

The future of the varsity program remains uncertain. The district may end the ninth-grade program or combine it with the eighth-grade program, and the seventh-grade football team is now being run by the Keystone Youth Football League.

Gouker believed the varsity program was on its way to a good season this fall.

"Everything seemed to be clicking right along with the staff and the kids," he said. "We were putting the final touches on the playbook. We know the kids coming back are capable of having an outstanding year.

"I'm lucky I've had the opportunity the last two years. Now, it's time to move on. I'm sure the direction I'm supposed to go will become clear to me."

dpaulling@eveningsun.com; 717-637-3736, extension 139