By Kenton Brooks
Phoenix Sports Writer
July 19, 2008 12:42 am
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By Kenton Brooks
Phoenix Sports Writer
It didn’t hit Joe Gordon until he started packing away some of the mementos from his office and began walking to his car.
He’s no longer going to be the Wagoner High School boys head basketball coach.
“I was walking through the gym and thought, ‘I won’t be doing this, I won’t be on this sideline or this bench,’” he said. “I got calls from friends, players, coaches and officials wishing me the best of luck. That meant a lot to me. Some still can’t believe it.”
Even Gordon’s grandchildren are in disbelief.
“It’s more of a shock to them because they can’t run to the gym when they like,” he said.
Gordon stepped down in early May after 21 seasons of leading the Bulldogs to start what he calls a “new book” in his life by becoming the assistant director at the Muskogee campus of the Indian Capital Technology Center. He’s already started his new job.
“This was an opportunity for me to do something different,” he said. “Wagoner needed a change. I needed a change. Twenty-one years as a head coach and two years as an assistant, that’s a long time to be anywhere.
“The community and the administration were great. I wasn’t forced out. I wasn’t asked to leave. I’m excited. I don’t have any second thoughts about what I’ve done.”
Gordon has just moved into his office at Indian Capital. The bookcase behind his desk is empty — for now. Keepsakes from his career, which included guiding the Bulldogs to four state tournament appearances and compiling a 361-190 record, may get hung up later.
“I have kids coming in here all of the time,” he said. “I’m getting an early start, so I can get to know the layout of the place. (Randy Craven, who replaces the retiring Jerry Belton) will lay out my duties for me. This is a great situation for (me) to be in at this time.”
Even he admits to having some lingering feelings about leaving coaching.
“When you do something for 20-plus years, you don’t stop overnight and walk away from it,” the Louisiana native said. “It’s one of those deals that I’ve got plays that I think will work, but I have other responsibilities to focus on a little bit.
“I don’t have to worry about winning and losing a ball game this year. I don’t have to be stressing about going undefeated or how we’re going to finish in the (Three Rivers) conference. People didn’t realize the season didn’t start when the season rolled around. It was a 12-month process. It’s always in your head. I don’t feel that stress on me right now.”
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