Gilkey: 'It felt like home again'

The drive to work was similar.

The keys to the building looked the same as they did the last time he worked there.

"It felt like home again today when I walked in there," said Todd Gilkey, who is returning to St. Maries High as athletic director, after serving in that role the past eight years at Coeur d'Alene High.

And even though he hasn't signed a contract - he's not sure when his first official day is in his new job - Gilkey is already hitting the ground running, making sure everything's taken care of when the first fall sports practices (for football and soccer) begin Aug. 10.

On Tuesday, he was at St. Maries High meeting with the fall coaches - a couple of which he hired when he worked there before.

"It almost felt like I had never left," said Gilkey, 51. "That in itself, made me feel that the choice to go back to St. Maries was the right one. When I drove into town and went to the school, it felt like I had never left."

Late in the 2014-15 school year, Coeur d'Alene High announced that Gilkey would move from AD to vice principal in charge of attendance and discipline, and that Bryan Duncan - who had held that vice principal role - would be the new AD.

"Being told I was not going to be the AD, that (Coeur d'Alene High principal) Warren (Olson) wanted to go in a different direction, at the time I said yeah, I would accept the change, because I didn't have any other options at the time," Gilkey said, "but always knowing I still wanted to be an AD at some time in my career before I get out."

Then Cory Newton, St. Maries' AD the past couple of years, moved to California, Gilkey got to talking with St. Maries High principal John Cordell.

"And then when this (job) came open it felt right to go back to go back to where I started my career and work for John Cordell again, I guy I really respect," Gilkey said.

St. Maries football coach Craig Tefft and boys soccer coach Chris Renaldo were hired when Gilkey was at St. Maries the first time. Amy (Reid) Scheer, the volleyball coach, played at St. Maries when Gilkey was an assistant coach.

"It was fun to get back and revisit old friends, and people that I've known for a long time," Gilkey said. "To see how happy and excited they were when I told them I was coming back, it made me feel really good."

In addition to his AD duties, Gilkey will also teach a couple of P.E. classes - just as he did during his last stint at St. Maries. Before taking the Coeur d'Alene job, Gilkey worked the previous 15 years at St. Maries - the last eight as athletic director.

Last December, Gilkey was one of eight high school athletic directors nationwide who was honored by the National Federation of State High School Associations. He received a NFHS Citation, presented annually to outstanding athletic directors in recognition of contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels.

He was named 3A athletic director of the year at St. Maries in 2005, and 5A AD of the year in 2010 and '13 at Coeur d'Alene. He recently completed a stint on the Idaho High School Activities Association board of control.

And his drive to work from his home in Fairfield, Wash., just south of Rockford, got shorter - by one mile.

"I enjoyed my eight years at Coeur d'Alene, and would really like to thank (former principal) Randy Russell and (former superintendent) Harry Amend for giving me the opportunity, and having the confidence in me that I could do the job," Gilkey said. "The eight years in the Coeur d'Alene School District were eight good years. I learned a lot, and I enjoyed working with the coaches and the staff and the students. I wish them nothing but success."