Photo courtesy of Robbie Gibbons.
Robbie Gibbons was a coach at Homewood Middle School for 28 years.
On any given morning along U.S. 280, you might spot him — not with a whistle and headset anymore, but a calmer, less-rushed version of himself: coffee in hand, with no practice to manage or scoreboard to check. Coach Robbie Gibbons says he is finally learning what it feels like to “move through time without rushing it.”
After decades shaping middle school athletes at Homewood Middle School, Robbie Gibbons is stepping away from coaching — but not stepping away from the community that shaped him or the corridor he calls home.
“I’ve never really had a summer off,” he said. “This is the first time I’ll really be able to slow down.”
That slowdown includes golf, fishing and a long-awaited Alaskan cruise with his wife, Brooke. But even as he talks about salmon fishing and panning for gold, it’s clear his identity isn’t leaving the field — it’s simply expanding beyond it.
“I love being on the water,” Gibbons said. “I love catching fish. I love eating fish. I don’t love cleaning them, but I love everything else about it.”
Ask Gibbons about his wins and losses, and he doesn’t reach for numbers.
“I don’t know my record,” he said. “We won championships — I know that because they’re on the banner that hangs in the HMS gym — but that wasn’t what mattered most.”
What mattered to Gibbons was the growth he saw in students and the relationships he formed with them.
“I loved seeing them grow up. I loved watching them graduate,” he said. “It was always about the kids.”
That philosophy shaped a career defined less by strategy sheets and more by life lessons, especially making space for kids to be more than one thing at a time.
“I believe in youth sports,” he said. “I believe in keeping kids active. I believe in giving students opportunities to try different things.”
At Homewood Middle School, that often meant making sure students didn’t have to choose between football and fine arts, athletics and band, or performance and practice.
“I never wanted families sitting around the dinner table arguing about what to choose,” he said. “I wanted kids to be able to do it all.”
That mindset has defined both his coaching and his life.
Now, instead of heading to early morning practices, he’ll have time to indulge some long-missed hobbies.
Gibbons admits he is still figuring out what life after coaching looks like. There are conversations about summer programs or social media development of his brand “Robbie Rainbow,” which came after his appearance as a cast member on the television show “Castaways.” Or it may be something new entirely, like sportscasting. For now, Gibbons is comfortable with not knowing what the immediate future holds.
“I just need some time to take care of myself,” he said. “I’ve never had that before.”
