Revered Teacher and Coach Mark Oliver Retires After 37 Years at AHS

Known by many as ‘Mr. Oliver’ and by many more as ‘Coach’, Mark Oliver taught social studies at Auburn High School since 1989 and coached a wide range of sports, both as an assistant and a head coach. Now, after 37 years shaping futures at AHS, Oliver is ready to retire, bittersweet as it is.
Oliver graduated from Shelton High School in 1979. During his time as a bulldog in Shelton, Oliver played football and track and wrestled. He was a three time medalist at state wrestling, earning fifth, second and, in his senior year at 138 pounds, won it all at the championships. After graduating, Oliver began studying at the University of Nebraska Kearney. Not doing as well as he’d liked, Oliver went back to working for a time. After being encouraged and pushed to finish his degree by high school teachers and his brother, Oliver returned to UNK with the goal of graduating by his 10 year high school reunion. He met that goal, graduating from UNK in 1989 and took four interviews for a teaching position. 
Oliver interviewed first at a Kansas high school and was happy with the facility but, tragically, the principal who conducted the interview passed away from a heart attack not long after. Oliver was required to interview again at the school and didn’t get the job. He then interviewed at Gothenburg High and Auburn High. “There was no contest between the two facilities,” Oliver said, “Gothenburg was closer to home, sure, but the community and school in Auburn was far better.” 
Accepting the job in Auburn, Oliver and his wife, Kay, who he met in college, moved to Auburn. Kay was in the late stages of pregnancy with their first child and, moving to town during Cooper Nuclear Station’s shutdown, there was very little available in terms of renting. It cause the Olivers some stress trying to find somewhere to live, but they persevered and lived for the first part of their time in Auburn in a trailer before finding a home of their own. 
Immediately after joining the AHS staff, Oliver began coaching. He was assigned as the head coach of the junior high football team, the head coach for high school wrestling and an assistant coach for the high school track and field team. It wasn’t long before Oliver was moved to high school football where he was an assistant coach until becoming a defensive coordinator under Coach Carlson. Oliver took over as the head coach following Carlson’s retirement but, not long after, Oliver suffered a heart attack. In an attempt to limit the stresses that come with coaching, he stopped coaching football and became the head coach for cross country. “That change was one of the best decisions I ever made,” Oliver noted. He also spent some time coaching soccer, specifically during the years that his daughter, Taryn, played so he could coach her throughout her soccer career.
During his time coaching at AHS, Oliver saw seven boys win the state tournament in wrestling and many of his track and field athletes win in their events, Tierra Williams being one of the most notable. He earned team championship titles with the 2006 football team and the 2024 girls cross country team after back-to-back runner up titles. Oliver also coached the 2009 wrestling runner up team. “Those big wins are always fond memories,” Oliver said, “But the greatest feeling comes when you watch a student or athlete succeed unexpectedly. You never forget those kids that shouldn’t have made it and did, despite the odds.”
Having taught and coached for so long, Oliver is more than qualified to give advice to those looking to enter the field. “Find a community and facility that does things in a way you will enjoy, and surround yourself with good people.” He noted the times other teachers would guest lecture in his class and when emphasized the importance of having a good rapport with students and other teachers. “It breaks my heart hearing that high school was the worst time of a person’s life,” he went on, “Teachers should do their best to provide safe and constructive spaces for their students and that’s what I aimed to do with all of kids I taught.” When it comes to coaching, Oliver made sure to note that it isn’t always about winning. “A coach can’t be solely focused on the stars, those athletes that are bound to do well. You have to be excited about improving, about those hard working athletes that beat the odds. Great coaches don’t always win, but they always improve.” 
Having been such an integral part of AHS sports, Oliver has been having a hard time in his early retirement. According to the retirement procedures, he is not to have any sort of interaction with the school or the students or athletes for 120 days. This includes volunteering and assisting, and it’s been a hard adjustment having to pass those responsibilities on to the coaches stepping into his shoes. He noted that Mike Vincent, his partner in coaching wrestling since 1998, told him it gets easier. Oliver, in his retirement, hopes that is true and plans to spend much of his newfound free time outdoors, hunting and fishing and traveling with the new camper he and his wife just bought. His son, Matt, is also planning on moving closer and Oliver looks forward to spending time with his grandchildren, too.
From teacher to coach to mentor and friend, Mark Oliver has been a face of AHS for many, many years. He’s gifted wisdom and patience and dedication and discipline to every student that he can and, being one of his wrestlers myself, I am extremely grateful to have had him as a coach during my time at AHS. It was an honor and a pleasure to learn life skills from him, and even more so to be the one to write this article for him. Congratulations and thank you, Coach Oliver!