Auburn HS football coach steps down after eight seasons

Published 1:20 pm Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Auburn High School football will have a new signal caller as Head Coach Aaron Chantler announced his resignation on social media on Nov. 18.

“Today I resigned as HC at AHS so I can focus on my health and family. Thank you to everyone who has played a role in my journey,” he posted in an online statement. “It’s not goodbye, just see you later. Finally, thank you to all my players over the years, I truly love you guys and will always be here for you.”

Chantler took over the Auburn program back in 2018 after longtime coach and father-in-law Gordy Elliot stepped down after 16 years. He talked with Elliot about making this move long before the season started, and it was by no means a rushed choice.

“It was super hard. There was a lot of reflecting and a lot of thinking back. I talked to people I haven’t talked to in years just through the last 24 to 48 hours. It was definitely difficult. There were a lot of things that went into it,” Chantler said.

“I had a sit down with Gordy … I felt like I was letting his legacy down. A big part of me coming here was to continue his legacy… That was the last little bit to let to let go of, when Gordy looked at me and was like, ‘I did my thing, you did your thing. You did it well. If it is time, you can do it and step away and be with your kids.’ I kind of needed to hear that,” Chantler added.

The current English teacher at Auburn High School has a pair of young boys who are beginning their sporting careers, and for a coach who has been coaching for 20 of his 42 years, it was time to step down and go from coach to dad.

Elliot has remained on staff as the defensive coordinator, while Chantler ran the offense and the program these past eight seasons. He led the Trojans to a league crown, winning the NPSL league title in 2022 while going 8-2 and unbeaten in league play (6-0).

Chantler ran his patented high-tempo offense to a 35-40 record across seven full seasons and a five-game COVID shortened season in 2020. But Chantler started really finding his groove from 2021-2024, going 27-14 over those four seasons.

To win the league in 2022, Auburn did something they never did: Kicked a field goal, especially when it came to beating a rival in Auburn Riverside for that league title.

“We had an exchange student from Latvia who didn’t really understand the moment. We never kick. Auburn High doesn’t kick. We rolled the dice and he did it. He nailed it, then we made a stop. To have my father-in-law next to me, turning around to see how excited the kids were and my wife and my mom were,” that was his fondest football memory, Chantler said.

His favorite memory off the field was during a graduation speech with two players, Rhyan Fesili and Utumoe Kamaunu.

“Both of them looked at me. They’re emotional and I am emotional. Rhyan said ‘Coach, it’s always been about the process. Because of that it saved my life. I needed that, I can’t thank you enough.’ That was really big because that just reaffirmed what we’ve done worked, because it’s always been about more than football,” Chantler recalled.

Chantler in his eight years went 7-7 against fellow Auburn schools, ending his tenure on a two-game winning streak over both Auburn Riverside and Auburn Mountainview.

The impact Chantler made on and off the field is evident, especially after his announcement to step down.

Auburn High School Athletic Director Jon Price sent the following statement to The Reporter: “Aaron has been a valuable member of the Auburn High School coaching community for 9 years, one year as an assistant, and 8 years as our head coach. We are so proud of the relationships Aaron built with our athletes, school community, and the community of Auburn. Aaron has taken care of our football community for 8 years, it is time for him to focus on his family and himself, which we support wholeheartedly. We are excited to have Aaron continue in our English Department as a teacher while he spends more time with his family and taking care of himself. Aaron will always be a Trojan and a huge part of our team here at Auburn High School. Aaron will be missed on the sidelines, but we are glad he is still around to support our entire student body.”

As of Nov. 19, Auburn High School has a job posting on the WIAA website, searching for a new head football coach.