The Dickinson State Coaching Tree: Ryan Gatch – Passion Fueled by Loyalty

Coaching Tree: Maps the relationships between a head coach and their former assistants or players who later became head coaches themselves. It’s similar to a family tree but applied to coaching..

As part of the 100 Years of DSU Football project, Dickinson State University is spotlighting coaches across the nation who’ve carried forward the traditions and values of legendary Blue Hawk leaders Hank Biesiot and Pete Stanton. Through a series of interviews conducted by students in Dr. Debora Dragseth’s Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program, the Blue Hawk Coaching Tree is coming to life—one story at a time.

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Ryan Gatch, a 1998 graduate of Dickinson State University, spent four seasons under the leadership of Coach Hank Biesiot. Those years laid the foundation for a coaching career now spanning more than two decades, with stops across Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska. Today, he continues to shape the game as the head of the Relentless Football Academy.

What stuck with Gatch the most from his playing days wasn’t a scheme or a drill—but a philosophy: “Stay the course.” It was a lesson in loyalty and perseverance that has guided him through 26 years on the sidelines.

Some memories are etched deeper than others. For Gatch, one came

during his freshman year in 1994. “Shane Sommerfeld had just scored a defensive touchdown to put us up 14–7 against #2-ranked Minot State,” he recalled. “I trotted onto the loudest field ever as part of the HIT SQUAD kickoff team. I’ll never forget that moment.”

Coach Biesiot also had his quirks—like the stick of chewing gum he always needed on game day. Those small habits became part of the lore that his players carried with them long after graduation.

For Gatch, the dream of coaching started in high school, but it was solidified at DSU. “During my fourth year, Coach Biesiot asked me if I’d like to help coach in 1998,” he said. That simple invitation became the spark that launched a career filled with head coaching and assistant roles at schools like Havre High, Forsyth High, Lead-Deadwood High, Dickinson State, Northern State, Black Hills State, Minot State, Chadron State, and MSU-Northern.

Through it all, his coaching has been defined by a passion that traces back to his Blue Hawk roots. “If Coach Biesiot watched me today, he’d recognize the passion for the game,” Gatch shared.

Traditions carried forward too. After every victory, Blue Hawks would celebrate by counting up points scored and pounding the locker. That ritual is one Gatch has worked to preserve in his own programs—keeping alive the spirit of team unity and celebration.

And sometimes, echoes of Coach Biesiot come through in Gatch’s own voice. “I remember him talking about retirement plans and how coaching wasn’t always lucrative or stable,” he said. “Now I catch myself sharing those same honest reflections with young coaches.”

More than 25 years later, the lessons of loyalty, perseverance, and passion remain central to how Gatch leads. He is a branch of the Blue Hawk Coaching Tree that continues to grow, rooted in the values passed down by Coach Biesiot.

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Interview conducted by Madi Freiter.

The Blue Hawk Coaching Tree is part of the Centennial Celebration of Dickinson State Football.