June 11, 2025
Why fix what clearly isn’t broken?
That’s essentially what Gilbert Activities Director Ian Smith believes when it comes to the boys track and field program.
Longtime head coach Joel Franzen made the decision to step away from the program at the end of the 2025 season, and coming off what can only be described as the most successful season in the history of the program, Smith looked internally to find a new leader.
And that man is Nate Graham.
Graham, who helped to coach the Tigers’ talented sprinters this past spring, was officially offered and accepted the position of boys track and field head coach earlier this week. Pending school board approval, he will begin his duties next spring and he’s excited about building upon what the program has already accomplished.
“I’m super pumped,” Graham, who is a strength and conditioning teacher at Gilbert High School, said. “Gilbert has historically been a good running school.”
Graham says he’s not about to rock the boat. The system already in place has been successfull, and he’ll lean on his assistant coaches to offer their expertise.
“It’s such a great staff across the board,” Graham said. “I don’t feel like my role, other than the organizational stuff, changes that much. I’m still going to work with the sprinters. Coach (Aaron) Thomas is going to keep doing his thing with the distance kids. Coach (Everett) Charlson is going to do every single thing we need from high jump to everything else.”
Graham just completed his seventh year overall as an educator and his first year at Gilbert High School. He previously taught in the Missouri Valley school district in southwest Iowa where he severed as the boys track and field head coach for three years.
In May, Gilbert brought home the Class 3A third-place team trophy from the state track and field meet. The Tigers tallied 55 points to share the third-place spot with Clear Creek-Amana, just one point behind state runner-up Pella (56). Newton (60) claimed the team title.
Gilbert took 13 events to the state meet and placed in nine of them, highlighted by a state championship in the 4×100-meter relay.
Smith believes the work Graham did with the student-athletes, both in the weight room and on the track, played a huge role in the success of both track and field programs this past season. The girls track and field team hauled in five event state titles and finished as the 3A state runner-up.
“We have a phenomenal track coaching staff and Nate was a huge addition to that this past year,” Smith said. “His level of expertise, especially in the sprinting that we do throughout the school year, directory led to 17 broken school records this past year.”
Please join us in congratulating Coach Graham on his new appointment!
