Rich has coached Boys Varsity Golf at Decorah High School for many years! Decorah has had many Conference Championships and a tradition of competing at the State level consistently.

Last year, the Vikings ended up third in the State Tourney after winning Conference, Sectional, and District  competitions.

Rich is retired from full time teaching at Decorah High School but still coaches MS Football, 9th Girls Basketball besides the Boys Golf program.  Rich recently was honored by the Iowa Golf Coaches Assn. as 2010 3A Boys Golf Coach of the Year.  Rich has also received the National Golf Coach of the Year award in 2008 from the National High School Coaches Assn. and National Golf Coach of the Year in 2007 from the National Federation of High Schools.

Rich is married to Carol Gaard and has one daughter who is in her 4th year of Pharmacy School at the University of Iowa.

Rich's e-mail address is: rich_gaard@hotmail.com