Coach Profile: Louisburg's Gary Griffin 5/23

Gary Griffin

By Dion Clisso PrepsKC Managing Editor
Posted: May 23, 2012 - 7:21 AM



Gary Griffin is a small-town guy and he likes it that way. The long-time Louisburg coach grew up in a small town, went to college at K-State and then spent his entire 27-year teaching and coaching career at Louisburg.
When he left college and looked for a job Louisburg felt right and he has never left. He was an assistant coach in several sports before becoming head basketball. After a stint in basketball he moved from being an assistant football coach to a head football coach 10 years ago.
With Griffin at the helm Louisburg has been one of the better Class 4A teams on the Kansas side and in 2010 it took the final step. The Wildcats went 14-0 and won the state title.
“It’s a great town,” Griffin said. “It’s just big enough to have a small town atmosphere but you are just close enough to the city to have everything you need. You can’t ask for more.”
Griffin has coached a lot of good players over the years but the last four years have been extra special. He is coaching his son Garrett who was one of the key players during the state championship run last season and was one of the leaders on the team in 2011.
Winning a state title was special for Gary but winning it with Garrett made it even more special.
“It was pretty nice,” Griffin said. “I talked to coach (former Blue Valley head coach Steve) Rampy a couple years ago. He said there is nothing like it and I hope you get that opportunity. He coached two state championships with both of his sons. It’s special. It’s a bond that you will always have. It’s even brought us tighter than we were before.”
This season the Wildcats saw their 14-game winning streak come to an end when they fell to Eudora 14-0 in the season opener. The Wildcats lost several close games but still made it into the 4A playoffs where they beat Fort Scott before falling to Chanute to end their season at 4-6.