Beyond the Lights: Football Across Texas

Episode 57: Andy Howard, head football coach and athletic director for Goldthwaite ISD talks about working to develop the program, not just a team.

Coach Andy Howard can name drop with the best of them as he recalls the long list of great coaches he has worked for and with.  These opportunities have served him well in preparing him for his role as athletic director and head football coach for Goldthwaite ISD.  Having been in west Texas his whole life, the country setting of this community is the perfect fit for the cotton farmer turned coach.  The uncomfortable should be comfortable, as he likes to put it and hard work is just a way of life for him and the Goldthwaite Eagles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Episode 56: Pete Hart, former head football coach and athletic director, Chico and Alvord.

Pete Hart has spent almost 40 years positively influencing young men and women through coaching.  One of those young men was me.  My classmates and I were fortunate enough to have him arrive in Bridgeport our 8th grade year and follow us through high school.  Coach Hart has influenced and inspired many young men and women to go into the education field and many with great success, such as Carl Abseck of Lufkin and Jeff Riordan of Chapel Hill.  His passion, not just for the game of football, but for seeing students grow and develop into good people is noticeable to anyone who has spent time with him.  Thank you coach Hart, for all you have done for the young people of the north Texas area!

Episode 55: Jason Reynolds, athletic director and head football coach for the Natalia Mustangs talks about the importance of culture and character.

Jason Reynolds is in his second stint in Natalia ISD.  His first role in the district was the OC several years back before leaving for the OC job in Wichita Falls.  But as soon as one of his mentors vacated the big seat in Natalia, he jumped at the opportunity to return and take over as AD and head football coach.  Coach Reynolds and family are in year two back with the Mustangs and he and his staff are working hard to keep a solid foundation built on character and a positive culture.

Episode 54: John Penn, of the Dallas Football Officials Association, talks with Randy Jackson and I about how he handles some of the tougher situations in games by staying calm at all times.

John Penn has been officiating for over 30 years and is following in the footsteps of his father, Percy. He has a deep understanding of the game, which allows him to tolerate a lot of the things that go along with officiating at a high level of play.  This understanding allows him to see intense situations through eyes of the players and coaches which helps him manage and sometimes de-escalate potentially volatile situations.  Randy Jackson joins me for our second episode of the officials series.

Episode 53: Wayne Elliott, Executive Secretary for the Austin Football Officials Association gives us a whole different perspective on the game!

Wayne Elliott has been officiating for 47 years, from the junior high level all the way to the NFL.  Currently he is the Executive Secretary for the Austin Football Officials Association and officiates high school and college games.  We discuss the differences in officiating at the different levels and the challenges of officiating in general.  Join me as we take a look at the game from a different set of eyes.

Episode 52: Jeff Riordan, athletic director and head football coach for Chapel Hill ISD, talks about Code Blue for the Bulldogs program.

Jeff Riordan, head football coach and athletic director for the Chapel Hill Bulldogs, lives out his motto of Code Blue for his program.   With the backing of the district administration all the way to the top, they put character and life before all else and keeping priorities straight has led to high levels of success for the Chapel Hill program.

Episode 51: Kody Yeager, head football coach and athletic director for Brackett ISD returns to his hometown to lead the Tigers' program.

As the son of a coach, Kody Yeager spent his share of time traveling through Texas working his way to the top.  Now he has returned home to find the paradise he left, unchanged from 20 plus years ago.  Same hard working kids, same family atmosphere and the same swimming and fishing spots he enjoyed as a kid are now enjoyed by his own family and kids.  We talk about what it was like playing and coaching for his father and how he has put the lessons he learned from him into practice.

Episode 50: Steve Huff, athletic director and head football coach for the Decatur Eagles talks core values and accountability.

Steve Huff, head football coach and athletic director for Decatur ISD has coached in 7 different states across our great country from the lower levels to the college ranks.  But he found his home under the Friday night lights of Texas in College Station and now in Decatur.  Coach explains his program's foundation; built on character, commitment, sacrifice and effort that he expects to be lived out through his staff as an example to his athletes.

Episode 49: Tate DeMasco, head football coach and athletic director for Tom Moore ISD in Ingram shares his pillars of a successful program and successful life.

Ingram Tom Moore athletic director and head football coach, Tate DeMasco, believes that the foundational pillars for a successful athletic program are the same as those for a successful life.  The tragic flooding of the Guadalupe in July put that foundation to the test and Coach DeMasco is proud of the response from their students and athletes.  From the tragedy, the community has grown stronger and closer and athletics playing a major part in the healing process. 
 

Episode 48: Ozona Lions head coach and athletic director, Jason Pitts, talks about his pillars for success and his thoughts on school vouchers.

Jason Pitts is in year one with the Ozona Lions and is farther west than his family has been before.  Leaving the trees of east Texas for the western edge of the hill country, Coach Pitts is bringing his positivity with him to his new program.  His positive attitude and rise above mindset have caught on with his players helping them to a 5-0 start.