End of an Era: Thunder Basin’s First Head Coach Trent Pikula Retires After Nine Seasons

End of an Era: Thunder Basin’s First Head Coach Trent Pikula Retires After Nine Seasons

By Chase Horsley — Basin Radio Network

GILLETTE, Wyo. — When Thunder Basin High School opened in 2017, so did its football program.  

Since that first season, there has only been one man at the helm — head coach Trent Pikula.

After nine seasons leading the Bolts, Pikula announced his retirement from football, closing out a 32-year coaching career which helped shape the identity of the Thunder Basin program. 

Building a Career and a Program

Pikula’s coaching career began in Belle Fourche, South Dakota where he served as the head freshman coach before moving up to become the defensive coordinator for the varsity team. During his time there, the Broncs reached two state championship games but came up short in both.

In 2000, Pikula took his first head coaching position at Hot Springs High School (S.D.), leading the Bison to the 2003 state championship game, where they again fell to powerhouse West Central — the same team that had defeated his Belle Fourche squads years earlier.

After several successful seasons in Hot Springs, Pikula moved to Rapid City Central, where he became the head coach in 2007 and led the Cobblers until 2013. His years there were demanding both on and off the field. Health issues ultimately led him to step down. 

“When I resigned at Central, I didn’t think I’d ever coach again,” Pikula said. “I was burned out. My health wasn’t great, and I just needed a break.”

After leaving South Dakota, Pikula and his family returned home to Gillette. He began coaching freshman football at Sage Valley Junior High before joining Campbell County High School as the running backs coach under Vic Wilkerson.

“When I got here, I took a job coaching freshman football at Sage Valley and moved up to the high school at Campbell County under Vic Wilkerson,” he said.

During his two seasons with the Camels, Campbell County’s rushing offense ranked among the state’s best — finishing seventh in 2015 and third in 2016. The team reached the Class 4A championship game in 2015 before falling to Sheridan 38–31.

When Thunder Basin High School opened its doors in 2017, Pikula saw an opportunity to lead a brand-new program — and this time, it was in his hometown.

 

Starting From the Ground Up

When Pikula took the job at Thunder Basin, there was no equipment, no locker room and no field ready for practice.

“When I got the job, we didn’t have a football, we didn’t have a helmet and we didn’t have a tackling dummy,” Pikula said. “It was pretty much a solo job at first. I worked with Universal Athletics rep James Chick and Riddell rep Rob Bollinger to get the team outfitted.”

He credits then Campbell County athletic director Cliff Hill with helping him develop a starting budget.

“We were handing helmets out of the back of my truck before the first season game because we couldn’t get into our locker room yet,” Pikula said. “The field opened the day of our first game.”  

Recruiting also posed challenges in the early years. Sophomores and juniors could choose which school to attend, while incoming freshmen were assigned to schools based on district boundaries.

“That first open throwing session, we had over 100 kids show up,” Pikula said. “I remember thinking, ‘Holy cow, this is real now.’”

Despite the uncertainty, the Bolts became contenders quickly. Within two seasons, they reached the playoffs and later advanced to back-to-back state championship games in 2019 and 2020.

“We believed we’d hang a banner — every year that was the goal,” Pikula said. “We didn’t get it, but I’m proud of what we built.”

Results on the Field

Over nine seasons, Pikula guided the Bolts to a 60–36 overall record, including a 6–9 mark in the postseason. Thunder Basin finished as state runner-up in both 2019 and 2020 and posted multiple top-five offensive finishes in Class 4A.

Thunder Basin Football Records (since 2017)
Overall Record: 60–36 (.625)
Playoff Record: 6–9
Best Season: 2019 (11–1)
Worst Season: 2025 (4–6)
Best-Ever Finish: State Runner-Up (2019, 2020)
Most Points Scored: 68 (vs. Cheyenne South 2019; vs. Laramie 2022)
Largest Margin of Victory: 63 (63–0 vs. Campbell County 2018)
Longest Win Streak: 11 games (2019)
Source: Wyoming-Football.com

Even in his final season, Pikula said he was proud of his team’s effort.

Thunder Basin 2025 season 4-6

Offensive Rankings
  1st – Passing Offense: 214 yards per game, 55.2% completion rate, 22 TD / 3 INT
  2nd – Total Offense: 345 yards per game, 27.9 points per game
8th – Rushing Offense: 131 yards per game, 4.6 yards per carry, 17 touchdowns
3rd – Scoring Offense: 27.9 points per game
1st – Team QB Efficiency: 147.2 rating

Defensive Rankings
10th – Rush Defense: 204 yards per game allowed
6th – Pass Defense: 127 yards per game allowed, 15 TD / 4 INT
10th – Total Defense: 330 yards per game allowed
6th – Scoring Defense: 23.1 points per game allowed

Source: Official Wyoming High School 4A Statistics 2025

“I honestly think this was the best 4–6 team I’ve ever seen,” he said. “The kids played as hard on the last snap as they did on the first.”

Faith, Family and Football

For Pikula, coaching has always been about more than wins and losses.

“My goal wasn’t just to win games,” he said. “It was to help build men of character — men who become great husbands, fathers and employees. That’s what really matters to me.”

He said his faith guided him through the highs and lows of building a program from the ground up.

“I’ve always believed God puts you where you’re supposed to be,” Pikula said. “He won’t give you more than you can handle. There were times I thought it was too much, but somehow, it always worked out.”

A Family Decision

Pikula said he knew going into the 2025 season that it would be his last.

“After coaching my three sons and doing this for so long, I just knew,” he said. “We had our first grandbaby last year, another one on the way, and my dad’s fighting cancer. It’s time to be present for my family.”

He shared the decision with his staff early in the season but chose not to tell his players until after the final game.

“I didn’t want to make it about me,” Pikula said. “I just wanted the kids to finish strong.”

Leaving a Legacy

As he steps away from football, Pikula said Thunder Basin will always hold a special place in his heart.

“Thunder Basin is special,” he said. “Our kids are blue-collar — they show up, they work hard and they care. Whoever takes over is going to have a great community behind them.”

He had one final message for every player who wore the Bolts blue.

“Thanks for the memories — your effort, your attitude and your commitment,” Pikula said. “We use the word ‘love’ in football often. I love you guys for what you’ve given this program.”

Pikula will continue teaching, along with coaching indoor and outdoor track and field at Thunder Basin, but his time on the football sidelines has come to an end.

“Coaching has been my life,” he said. “But there’s more life out there to live.”