 Head Coach Tom Parker
Family: Married 34 years to wife Linda, two sons Jerrod and Ryan
Education: Attended Northwest College, earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Wyoming
Experience: College rodeo contestant who later earned his pro card. Taught agriculture at Cody and Torrington High Schools before coming to Casper College in 1990 to teach and coach rodeo. Serves on the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Board of Directors
CC boss loves what he does after 17 years
Ask Tom Parker about coaching rodeo and you’ll still see a twinkle in his eye. He loves what he does.
 Parker has been the corral boss at Casper College for the past 17 years, and says “I’m still lovin’ it.”
“It’s a great profession,” he says. “I enjoy working with the kids, knowing that maybe I can make a difference for them, not just in rodeo but in the classroom and in life.”
Parker says he is proud of the fact that rodeo at Casper College has the kind of tradition it does. It is considered a varsity sport and treated that way by the college’s leadership.
Parker brings a lot of experience to the arena. Ever since he started riding bucking horses in high school, rodeo has been a big part of his life. He competed at Northwest College and later at the University of Wyoming, where he was a student director in the NIRA. Later, he rode professionally before turning his attention full time to teaching and coaching.
Parker will tell you that not much has changed in the sport of rodeo. It still takes the same things as it always did: commitment, perseverance and heart.
Parker has fielded competitive teams every year, including last year’s strong third-place finish in the region for the men’s team. He has taken three teams to the College National Finals and numerous individuals, including Kelly Timberman and Bryce Miller. Many other members of the CC rodeo teams through the years have gone on to success outside the arena.
Parker is the first to give credit to somebody else. “We’ve been fortunate to have great support,” he says, pointing to the CC leadership, the Natrona County Fairgrounds staff and members of the community.
“I’ve always said if coaching was all there was to this, I could do it forever,” he says with a grin.
 Heidi Knapp joined the Casper College staff this season as assistant rodeo coach. She brings with her a wealth of experience and plenty of credentials. She was a three-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier at Casper College, and qualified again while rodeoing for the University of Wyoming her senior season. A three-time regional champion goat tyer, she also competed in barrel racing and breakaway roping.
She is a cowgirl who knows how to win and has already brought quality instruction and a caring commitment to the practice arena. Heidi is the daughter of Jim and Marsha Knapp of Casper. |
With four national team championships and three more finished in the top three during the past 30 years, Casper College ranks among the most successful programs in the country. Former T-Bird cowboys have gone on to no less than 126 professional titles. This long-standing tradition starts over 50 years ago when Dale Stiles hosted the first Casper College rodeo. At the time, no other junior college had fielded a rodeo team, let alone hosted its own rodeo. Through the years, Stiles would coach some of the sport’s greatest stars, and become a legend himself. Although Stiles retired in 1990 the rodeo he started in 1955 is going strong today. The annual event hosted by Casper College, still carries the name of its founder, the late Dale Stiles. 
