YODER – Sports has always been a part of Tim Eisenbarth’s life.

On Saturday afternoon, during halftime of the boys’ game against Glenrock, Southeast High School honored Eisenbarth for 35 years of service of teaching and coaching.

The presentation came as a total surprise.

“It was a nice gesture and meant a lot to me and my family,” Eisenbarth said. “It’s neat to teach the kids in fourth grade and then coach them again in junior high and high school. It’s a very special bond.”

Since attending Goshen Hole High School and playing basketball at Eastern Wyoming College, sports has been in his blood.

Following his college days, he took a job as an elementary school teacher.

Along with that, came the side job of coaching.

“I got into elementary teaching which is what I loved more than anything, but the coaching went with it,” Eisenbarth said. “I’ve always loved sports, and it makes for a well-rounded student.”

Thirty-five years later, coaching everything from football to basketball to track and field, his teams have a combined 18 SEWAC championships.

But its more than just the wins and losses for Eisenbarth.

“It teaches kids a lot more than just winning and losing,” he said. “It teaches character, working together. I think those things have been big around here. That’s what we try to teach in junior high. We want them to rely on their buddy and teammate. “

That was a big pull for Eisenbarth and one of the many reasons for his longevity in coaching.

He also points to the community, the kids, parental support and the administration.

“I’ve been very blessed with that,” Eisenbarth said.

With his longevity, comes many great stories.

Back-to-back state championships with the Lady Cyclones in 1988-89. Helping coach the boys to a state title game despite coming up short in the game.

In the end, it wasn’t the state titles nor the league titles that stick out in his mind as his best memories from over the years.

“The best memories are the amount of kids that come back and still talk about the things that we did back when they were in junior high and high school,” Eisenbarth said. “That means a lot to me.”

After several years of coaching in the high school ranks, ultimately, it was the junior high ranks which called his name.

“Then I switched down to the junior high,” Eisenbarth said. “It’s a shorter season. I just like the junior high kids. That was a draw for me.”

Eisenbarth has called the area home since 1977, and now, he’s hanging up the whistle.

“I’ve been lucky to have such great people to work with,” Eisenbarth said. “It’s been awesome.”

But he feels the time is right, and now, he plans to turn his attention to his new endeavor.

“Farming will be what I’m doing now with my son and son-in-law,” Eisenbarth said. “We are going into a new venture there. I look forward to doing that.”

Despite that, he is thankful for the years and the impact he has had on the life of many of the area’s youth.

“I’ve enjoyed competing against the area schools,” Eisenbarth said. “We’ve had a great run here at Southeast, and I’m looking forward to the new chapter in my life. They are filling it with good people behind me, and that is satisfying to me. They will be in good hands.”