By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
On Tuesday, Mitch Gebhardt made public his intention to retire from both coaching and teaching at the end of the 2025-26 school year, marking the end of another legendary career at Southeast of Saline.
Coach Gebhardt will go down as one of the best to ever do it, not just in Gypsum, but across the whole state of Kansas.
In his 16 seasons leading the Trojan football program, Coach Gebhardt put together a resume that borders on legendary, with a 129-40 record, a .763 winning percentage, 11 league titles, and 7 district titles.
That success spilled over into the playoffs, where Gebhardt’s Trojans posted a 22-11 record, four trips to the state semifinals, a state runner-up finish in 2025, and, of course, a 2A state championship in 2024.
That state title, just the second in program history, came in the midst of an unreal six-season stretch, in which Southeast of Saline holds a perfect 47-0 regular season record, finished 19-5 in the postseason, and, entering 2026, has won 93 percent of all its games.
Despite all that success, Mitch Gebhardt will be remembered every bit as much for his leadership off the field as for his accomplishments on it, and when reflecting on his time leading the purple and white, it was the people, not the wins. that came to mind.
“I’m most proud of the relationships that I’ve built with people here,” Gebhardt said. “The relationships I’ve built with my assistant coaches, with the student-athletes, and with the other coaches across the state. There are great people everywhere you look in the football world, our administration has always been great, the families are great to be around, and raising my family here in the Southeast of Saline tradition has been a huge blessing.”
Few coaches have an opportunity to go out at the top of their game, and while the prospect of another state run may have been tempting, the timing was just right for Coach Gebhardt.
“A lot of things have lined up for me, and I have an opportunity to do some things I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” he said. “I enjoyed the grind, but it is a grind, and this feels like a really good time for me to step away and enjoy some things I haven’t been able to.”
Coach Gebhardt leaves behind not just a legacy of winning but a lasting template for future success, having built a dynastic program that posted a winning season in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
“I feel great about where our program is at,” Gebhardt said. “We have great facilities, a great buy-in to our weights program, and the kids understand what they need to do to get to where they want to be. This community loves football, and these kids know they’re going to be supported all the time. Those are all rare and important things, and it makes me feel great about where things stand.”
All of those sentiments were echoed by SES Athletic Director Doug Minneman, who, like many in the community, will miss Mitch Gebhardt for far more than just his coaching.
“Coach Gebhardt did a tremendous job as our football coach,” Minneman said. “His numbers speak for themselves, but it goes far beyond that. His relationship-building with our kids and people in the building was top-notch and what really set him apart. He’s always been 100% bought in, and he will be very difficult to replace, not just as a coach but as a high-character person.”
After 33 years in the classroom and 32 on the sideline, including 18 long years at Southeast of Saline, the winningest coach in Trojan football history had no regrets, and no reservations, just pure, unfiltered gratitude.
“I have absolutely loved my time at Southeast of Saline, and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s ever impacted our program in a positive way,” he said. “To do what we’ve done and accomplish what we have takes everybody in the community, and I’m so thankful to everyone who’s contributed to that. Every single year is different but I have so many outstanding memories from every single season and every group of kids. What a blessing it’s been to coach at Southeast of Saline.”
