His girls’ basketball teams secured three Class 5A state tournament berths, including a state runner-up campaign in 2009.
Veteran head coach Jason Tatkenhorst posted a 169-97 record over 12 seasons at the same locale — Great Bend High School.
Tatkenhorst has accepted the girls’ head basketball coaching position at Class 4A Basehor-Linwood in Kansas City, Kan.
“I’ve had a great 12 years at Great Bend and I couldn’t be more happy,” Tatkenhorst said. “I was very satisfied with Great Bend, the people here, the school, administration and all of that.”
During his tenure at GBHS, Tatkenhorst guided the Lady Panthers to eight consecutive Western Athletic Conference championships, including a 28-game league win streak.
“Three straight years in the WAC without getting beat,” Tatkenhorst said. “We’re pretty proud of that.”
Tatkenhorst, who owns a current overall record of 228-128, came to Great Bend in 2000 from Clay Center.
During his time at Clay Center, he was the head coach of post player Nicole Ohlde. She went on to become an All-American at Kansas State and played seven seasons in the WNBA, retiring from the Tulsa Shock in 2010.
The GBHS program has fallen on hard times the past couple seasons, finishing 3-18 overall this past season and 9-12 in 2010-11.
“I think Great Bend’s program is on the way up,” Tatkenhorst said.
Tatkenhorst says the Great Bend job is an ideal post, just like he views the Basehor-Linwood job.
“Great Bend is a great location, about an hour from my family’s farm in Natoma,” said Tatkenhorst, who played at Pratt Community College for two seasons (1991-93) before transferring to Bethany College (1993-95). He was the men’s head junior varsity basketball coach at Bethany in 1996 before accepting the post at Clay Center. “It’s a difficult move.
“The main thing is getting a fresh start. I looked into the job because it read girls’ basketball and social studies. That’s what I coach and teach. Right below, there was a special-education teaching opening, so my wife (Stacy) has a job as well (at Basehor-Linwood).”
The Tatkenhorsts have three kids — identical twins Kade and Kurtis (ages 13) and 7-year-old Kamden.