Chadron State Track & Field Coach Resigns

by Alex Helmbrecht, Chadron State Sports Information Director

CHADRON - John Reiners, the Chadron State College track and field coach for the past 11 years, has resigned, CSC athletic director Brad Smith announced on Tuesday.

Reiners, who also coached the running backs for the CSC football team for 15 seasons, leaves Chadron State to become an assistant football coach at Black Hills State University in Spearfish. He'll coach the quarterbacks and wide receivers, while also coordinating the passing game.

"We're terribly saddened to see John leave Chadron State," Smith said, "but I know he's excited about the opportunity at Black Hills State. He's taken our track program to a very high level, but one of his loves is football and now he has an opportunity to explore that."

During Reiners' tenure as head track and field coach at CSC, 78 school records in events generally held have been set and the Eagles have earned All-American honors 37 times, including three in 2008. He is the longest serving head track and field coach at Chadron State.

Reiners is a graduate of Republican Valley High School at Indianola, Neb., where he was a football and track standout. He earned a letter in track at Chadron State as a freshman before deciding to concentrate on football, where he earned four letters. He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from CSC in 1995 and 1997, respectively.

Including his time as a student-athlete, Reiners has spent the last 20 seasons involved in CSC athletics.

"It was an incredibly difficult decision to leave Chadron State," Reiners said. "You don't spend 20 plus years at a place and expect it to be easy, and it was a hard decision for me and my family. Spearfish is a lot like Chadron. It's not too big, it's a great community, and the Black Hills State campus reminds me of Chadron's.

"Track has been good to me and I enjoyed my time here, but I wanted to focus on football. I have no regrets about the shape the program is in and the kids and coaches here will continue to excel. It will only get better."

Smith said an interim coach will be named soon.

A search for a new track and field coach will begin in early March, Smith said.