Kimes Gilbert

Bio

Coach Gilbert played football at Southmoore High School before continuing his collegiate career at Oklahoma Baptist University. During his time at OBU, he earned numerous individual honors, including All-American, Academic All-American, Conference Defensive Player of the Year, All-Conference, Academic All-Conference, and Champions of Character recognition. In 2013, he led the nation in sacks and was later inducted into the Oklahoma Baptist University Hall of Fame.
Coach Gilbert graduated Magna Cum Laude from OBU and earned a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Oklahoma. He is certified to teach middle and secondary mathematics as well as serve as a school principal. Throughout his education career, he has taught courses ranging from Algebra I to Trigonometry and has served in campus leadership roles, including Assistant Principal at Chisholm High School from 2022 through January 2025. He will return to assistant principal duties at Wagoner Public Schools for the 2026–2027 school year.
Coach Gilbert and his wife, Maggi, have been married for eleven years and are proud residents of Wagoner. Together they have three children: Autry, Oakley, and Rader.
Entering his eleventh season as a football coach, Coach Gilbert began his career at Midwest City High School as the defensive line coach before spending five seasons at Choctaw High School. During his tenure at Choctaw, he served as strength and conditioning coach, defensive line coach, offensive line coach, and offensive coordinator. He helped guide the Yellowjackets through one of the most successful stretches in program history, including a Class 6A-II semifinal appearance in 2019, a state runner-up finish in 2020, and the program's first home playoff games since the 1980s in both 2020 and 2021. As offensive coordinator, his offenses averaged 415 total yards and 35 points per game.
In 2022, Coach Gilbert accepted his first head coaching position at Chisholm High School, inheriting a program coming off an 0–10 season. The Longhorns snapped an 18-game losing streak that year and continued to build momentum. By 2023, Chisholm posted a 6–5 record and earned its first playoff appearance since 2019. The 2024 season brought another 6–5 finish and a second consecutive playoff berth, marking the program's first back-to-back postseason appearances in years. During the 2023 season, Chisholm faced three of the four eventual state semifinalists and lost those contests by an average of just one score, demonstrating the program's rapid growth and competitiveness.
That success led Coach Gilbert to Wagoner High School in 2025. Taking over a young but talented Bulldog squad, he helped guide the team to a 5–6 record and a playoff appearance, where Wagoner fell in the first round to a strong Broken Bow team. Despite the youth of the roster, the Bulldogs showed steady improvement throughout the season and established a foundation for future success.
Coach Gilbert is excited for the opportunities that lie ahead in 2026. With an experienced core of returning players and a commitment to excellence both on and off the field, the Bulldogs look forward to representing the Wagoner community with the core values of discipline, ownership, gratitude, and selflessness.