Carl Junction, Missouri – Doug Buckmaster, head football coach at Carl Junction High School, plans to retire at the end of the school year.
“I’ve been doing this for 37 years,” Buckmaster said Wednesday night in a phone call with KOAM. Please stay away and retire. ”
Buckmaster informed the players of his decision Wednesday night at the team’s end-of-season dinner.
“I don’t know if it was a big surprise to them. I think they probably knew what was in my head,” Buckmaster says. I told them so next year.They will have a lot of starters coming back and they need young players to step up.I will definitely follow suit.
Buckmaster has been the leader of the Carl Junction Football Program for the last ten years. He finished with an overall record of 71 wins and 43 losses in his 10 seasons.
Off the field, he was diagnosed with throat cancer in early 2021. After treatment, in late summer 2021, he was declared cancer-free.
“Having been through a cancer situation and other things over the last two years, part of me wants to get away from the stress and all that coaching brings,” Buckmaster says. Being away may help improve your health. ”
On whether he has plans to return to the sidelines:
“I don’t know if you’ve seen the last of me. I never say never,” says Buckmaster. “It’s still in the back of my mind. There’s a part of me that wants to know if I can be healthier. I still love football and have a passion for it. I plan to retire when I finish school.” .years…but I will never say.”