Coach Eskelsen came to Big Piney in the fall of 1982 and for the next twenty-six years was active in all of the athletic programs in Big Piney either as a coach or as the Athletic Director. Coach Eskelsen was also was highly involved in the leadership positions in the Wyoming Coaches Association as well as the Wyoming Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
For twenty-six years Eskelsen was the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ track teams. During that span, his talented teams and his outstanding coaching staff led the Punchers to many regional and state titles. The Lady Punchers tracksters finished in the top four at state on seven different occasions and finished as high as second in 1996 losing by a mere ½ point. The Puncher men proved even more successful finishing in the top four a total of fifteen times in the twenty-six year span including five state runners-up and five Wyoming State Championship trophies. As the coach, Eskelsen was awarded Wyoming Track Coach of the Year a total of eight times. In 2002, based on his success, longevity, and leadership, Coach Eskelsen was named the National Boys Track Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association.
Coach Eskelsen assumed the head football position during his second year in Big Piney. For the next twenty-five years he had the opportunity to work with outstanding athletes as well as phenomenal coaches. During the twenty-five years, the Puncher football team qualified for the Wyoming State Football playoffs in twenty of those years. His Puncher teams brought six Wyoming State Championships back home to Big Piney
In his thirty-three years as a head coach, Eskelsen’s overall record stands at 201 wins and 101 losses with 151 victories guiding the Punchers. The WCA honored him with Coach of the Year honors seven times. In 2004, the National High School Athletic Coaches Association honored Coach Eskelsen by naming him the National Football Coach of the Year.
During his tenure in Big Piney, Mr. Eskelsen assumed leadership roles at the state and national levels. Eskelsen was President of the Rocky Mountain Conference for thirteen years and served as regional tournament director in both basketball and track during those years. He was elected President of the Wyoming Coaches Association in 1998 and served in that position for two years. In 2004, Coach Eskelsen was inducted into the WCA Hall of Fame. Two years later in 2006, the NHSACA inducted Coach Eskelsen into their National Coaches Hall of Fame.
As the Athletic Director, Mr. Eskelsen was on the Wyoming Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Board of Directors for twelve years. In 2001, Eskelsen was chosen to represent Wyoming and the Northwest Section of the United States on the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Board of Directors and in 2004 was elected President of the nearly 8000 members of the NIAAA. Since he has served on numerous committees and is currently on the accreditation committee for the NIAAA. He has earned numerous Athletic Director awards at both the state and national level highlighted by his induction into second class of the NIAAA’s Hall of Fame in 2010.
Coach Eskelsen feels none of his honors outweigh the countless honors received over the years by his Puncher athletes and teams and the many years he worked with some of the best of all coaches possible. He owes the towns of Big Piney, Marbleton and La Barge gratitude for allowing him to be a part of Puncher tradition for all those years.