Kernels begin search for next boys’ basketball coach

Now that Gary Munsen has officially stepped down from the head boys’ basketball coaching position, the search for his replacement has begun.

Munsen, who coached at Mitchell High School for 39 years, announced his retirement before the beginning of the high school basketball season. His team finished second last weekend in the Class AA state tournament.

The hiring committee is being formed by Mitchell High School Activities Director Geoff Gross. The committee hasn’t been finalized yet, according to Superintendent Joe Graves.

Graves said the committee for a new coach usually consists of Gross along with one or two administrators, but the hiring process for the boys’ basketball position will be different.

“It’s a rather extraordinary position because of the tradition we’ve had with the boys’ basketball program in past years,” Graves said. “We may very well extend the committee to more people this time.”

The school put an ad in The Daily Republic before the state tournament to get the word out before the end of the basketball season, and Graves expects to be interviewing applicants next week.

Graves said the ideal candidate will be a teacher as well as a coach, but the coach doesn’t necessarily have to be a teacher at the high school.

“Sometimes we have coaches that are employed elsewhere in the community, like Wes Morgan, who is the head coach of the Mitchell girls’ basketball team,” Graves said.

Gross said the district has already had a few applicants apply for the position and will accept applications through Monday.

Craig Mock, a top assistant boys’ basketball coach under Munsen, did not return calls from The Daily Republic.

Any internal applicant, like Mock, must submit an application.

Gross said there are a few teaching openings in the school district that need to be filled, and hopefully the district will be able to find a candidate who can fill one of those positions as well as the coaching position.

“We’d love to have somebody that can coach multiple sports and impact our kids in multiple ways,” Gross said.

Tags: sports, updates, kernels, basketball, munsen