Joe Gordon came to Wagoner to become the boys basketball head coach for the 1987-88 school year. Now, 21 years later, he’s ending that part of his career.

The 53-year-old Gordon has resigned as coach, effective at the end of the school year.

“I just figured it was time for a change,” he said. “After 21 years, a change is good for everybody.”

Gordon, who has a 361-190 career record for a winning percentage of .655, said he will continue in his job as athletic director and work to find his replacement.

“It’s one of those deals I hate leaving because I think I’ve got a good group of young kids coming back,” he said. “I have mixed emotions about it. I just think it’s the right time to do it.”

Gary Hendrix, the Fort Gibson boys coach, said he and Gordon had discussed the possibility of Gordon stepping down.

“In visiting with Joe the last few years, I knew he had been thinking about it,” Hendrix said. “Joe’s an outstanding coach and a great guy. He’s been doing it quite a while. Coaching takes a toll on a guy. He probably deserves some time off.

“I think of him as a good friend. He always competed hard and always had good teams that were hard to beat. Joe’s done a great job for Wagoner.”

Gordon guided the Bulldogs to four state tournament appearances, including the championship game in 1998-99 when it lost 78-62 to Oklahoma City Bishop McGuinness and the state semifinals in 1989-90 and 1997-98.

A native of Louisiana, who came to Wagoner after working as an assistant coach at Muskogee, Gordon’s team finished 16-8 this past season, losing in the regional finals to Hilldale.

Gordon followed other Wagoner coaches including Farrell Rosson, Bill Benham, Jim Penquite and Terry Malhamn.

“(Coaching at Wagoner) is a great situation,” Gordon said. “The guys before me set the foundation and it was my job to maintain it. It was tough following in their tracks, but I was blessed with support from the community and the administration. Without them and the kids, I wouldn’t have done it.

“I was able to win games. To stay in a place 21 years as a coach, I was very lucky. It’s tough right now. To think of those times spending with the parents the kids who helped you along the way, it’s easy to walk away from it.”

Gordon plans to be involved in finding a replacement. He will also keep up his commitment to basketball camps during the summer.