Gary Regal tabbed as next Gillett girls coach

After coaching boys basketball teams for nearly three decades, Gary Regal is excited for the opportunity of leading a girls team after being hired as the next Gillett Secondary School’s coach.

Regal’s most recent coaching position was with the Oconto Falls boys. He coached the team in 2019-20 but developed a health issue late in that season.

Oconto Falls gave him the 2020-21 season off to go over his options. In March, Regal didn’t think his health conditions were “under control enough to run a program to my expectations or what should be expected of me,” so Oconto Falls found a new boys coach.

When the Gillett girls position was made available after Justin Daul stepped down and took over the school’s football head coaching position, Gillett athletic director Mike Kaczmarek reached out to Regal to gauge his interest.

Regal initially said no, but after talking about his health issues and making to switch to girls basketball with his family, Regal expressed his interest in the position.

“My passion to coach never left,” said Regal, who has helped coached 28 seasons of boys basketball.

“I didn’t think I would have another chance to follow my passion.”

Regal said getting to work with longtime friends Bill DeJung and Kaczmarek was appealing to him.

“I also talked to close friends that had students at Gillett, and the overall comments I got was that Gillett girls team was filled with hard-working girls with good attitudes,” said Regal.

During Daul’s time at Gillett, he turned the program into one that was constantly near the top of the Marinette & Oconto Conference and also making deep postseason runs.

Regal acknowledged that “great past coaching and leadership” has helped the program to where it is and now hopes to continue the trend.

“I plan on being a strong leader and teaching what I know,” said Regal. “There will be changes; I understand that. But I have to teach what I know. We will keep building the youth program, and our team will play good defense and take care of the ball. We will work to be role models in our community and for our youth.”

Before his time at Oconto Falls, Regal coached at Suring for 27 years, including 14 as the varsity coach. Suring went 128-23 over his final six seasons and finished as a state runner-up in the 2007-08 season.

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