May 07, 2008 - 04:05:24 CDT
After spending more than three decades on the sideline, the past 17 seasons as Bismarck State College's men's basketball coach, Buster Gilliss is turning in his whistle.Gilliss announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing increasing demands from his position as athletic director.
"I've coached for 31 years, and that's a long time," Gilliss said. "Bismarck State is expanding its athletic program - we're adding men's and women's soccer in the fall of 2009. We need to get that developed and budgeted and scheduled and whatever else."
The Mystics went 15-16 in 2007-08, falling to Southeast (Neb.) Community College in the District 4 championship game.
During his 17 years at BSC, the Mystics won 11 Region 13 titles.But Gilliss said it was the people he will remember most about his tenure as coach.
"I think the association with student-athletes was the thing Iam proudest of," he said. "I enjoyed going to practice, and doing the prep work for game day. But being with the student-athletes, keeps you feeling young."
A graduate of New Rockford High School and Jamestown College, Gilliss credited his coaches at both stops for shaping his coaching philosophy.
"I was fortunate to have one coach in high school, Norlin Nelson, and one in college, Byron Hill, and I learned a lot from them both," Gilliss said.
Gilliss began his coaching career at Parshall High School, then was an assistant at the University of North Dakota, before going to MSU-Bottineau, then BSC. His career mark was 508-339.
Gilliss doesn't plan on wasting any time looking for his replacement.
"We're just finishing the job description, which will be for men's basketball and golf coach and assistant baseball coach," he said. "We'll begin advertising it, and probably know where we're at in 10 to 14 days."
Gilliss said he hopes to get somebody in place quickly to help with recruiting.
"We've already signed five players, but when we bring in somebody new, I'm sure he'll want to bring in some of his own players," Gilliss said.
BSC Fan wrote on May 7, 2008 9:04 AM:
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