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I would like to thank Coach______ for being not only my Coach, but being a great person also.


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Guest RRHoochieKoo

Saw this topic on the oldcoach and since this is kind of a East Texas board I thought it would be interesting to see some of the ET coaches or any coaches who made a positive influence in your life. Not so much as a great X and O person but more of role model, outstanding character, ect.

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Saw this topic on the oldcoach and since this is kind of a East Texas board I thought it would be interesting to see some of the ET coaches or any coaches who made a positive influence in your life. Not so much as a great X and O person but more of role model, outstanding character, ect.

Chester Roy and C.R. Evans in Overton. It wasnt always about football with them, but also matters in life, and education.

They were the type of coaches/people that you kept in touch with, long after you were out of school.

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If it hadn't been for Coach Holbrook many, many years ago, I wouldn't have passed my pre-med human anatomy and physiology class. He never sat and read a newspaper or jawed about the game. He talked science during science and football during the rest of the hours!

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Glynn Hughes, who was my coach at White Oak and then at Spring Hill. The man had the patience of Job dealing with the worst group of athletes those two schools had ever seen. I'm amazed to this day that he never killed anyone out of absolute frustration.

 

Also, Cliff Baccus, the god of wine as well as my 9th grade football and track coach. He was the only coach I ever had that emphasized winning above sportsmanship and it was during this period of time that I actually had the rare experience of being on some winning teams. I raise a toast to Coach Baccus and I'm sure he's already toasting back!

 

Oggie

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I would like to thank Coach Lance Herring. He was a great coach to me and an insperation. He loved sports but i saw more than that in him. He's a great leader and i've never seen him give up on anything or anyone. Alot of who i am today is because of him.

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Coach Doug Williams.....Principal at Brownsboro now.....

Coach Blake Cooper.....Assistant Superintendent at Kaufman now....

Coach Scott Wells......coach at Springtown now....

Coach Joe Fleming.....baseball coach at Brownsboro now....

Coach Steve Pinnell....Head Football Coach/AD......Winnsboro

Coach Gary Brown.....Principal at Wylie now....

Coach Charles Felts.....retired coach

Coach Kirk Capo.....girls basketball coach in oklahoma now

Coach Buddy Hawkins.....head girls basketball coach at Winnsboro....

Coach Tom Campbell....head girls junior high athletic director...winnsboro

 

 

 

Talk about REAL coaches teaching every day about being a MAN........SUPER F-U-N-D-A-M-E-N-T-A-L COACHES

Great Family Men.......Great Community Citizens.......Great Role Models.......Thanks for everything!!!!!!

 

Rugged Red Alumni

Don't Be The Weakest Link :notworthy:

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Glynn Hughes, who was my coach at White Oak and then at Spring Hill. The man had the patience of Job dealing with the worst group of athletes those two schools had ever seen. I'm amazed to this day that he never killed anyone out of absolute frustration.

 

Also, Cliff Baccus, the god of wine as well as my 9th grade football and track coach. He was the only coach I ever had that emphasized winning above sportsmanship and it was during this period of time that I actually had the rare experience of being on some winning teams. I raise a toast to Coach Baccus and I'm sure he's already toasting back!

 

Oggie

 

 

I had a few from White Oak as well.....Andy Griffin....Ken Terry.....Bruce Taylor....I liked Coach Hughes as well. They not only cared about you as an athlete, they cared about you as a person!

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Gotta go with John Crawford as mine.. Taught me alot about life thats for sure..His door was always open. Another coach that I looked up to was Bruce Taylor at WO. One cool dude there. Him and my grandad would talk to each other DURING the games. He is also kinfolk.

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Coach Doug Williams.....Principal at Brownsboro now.....

Coach Blake Cooper.....Assistant Superintendent at Kaufman now....

Coach Scott Wells......coach at Springtown now....

Coach Joe Fleming.....baseball coach at Brownsboro now....

Coach Steve Pinnell....Head Football Coach/AD......Winnsboro

Coach Gary Brown.....Principal at Wylie now....

Coach Charles Felts.....retired coach

Coach Kirk Capo.....girls basketball coach in oklahoma now

Coach Buddy Hawkins.....head girls basketball coach at Winnsboro....

Coach Tom Campbell....head girls junior high athletic director...winnsboro

 

 

 

Talk about REAL coaches teaching every day about being a MAN........SUPER F-U-N-D-A-M-E-N-T-A-L COACHES

Great Family Men.......Great Community Citizens.......Great Role Models.......Thanks for everything!!!!!!

 

Rugged Red Alumni

Don't Be The Weakest Link :notworthy:

 

I will second that list.

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My coach story involves the late-great Bob Mickler, still among the Top 25 in all-time winning percentage in Texas HS Football history, if not higher.

 

I loved that man, and our relationship didn't start very well.

 

Other than my father---Coach Mickler is among a small group right after that, Tom Osborne, Joe Gibbs, and Coach Mickler.

 

He was the long-time and incredibly successful head football coach at Universal City Randolph.

 

When our family was transferred from Yokota AFB in Japan to San Antonio, I went to visit the Randolph coaching staff , and the first time I met Coach Mickler, he told me "you won't be able to play for us."

 

Well, Randolph had a great tradition and the 1976 team was state-ranked in the pre-season poll.

 

I knew about Randolph's tradition because we'd lived in San Antonio prior to moving to Japan, but my two older brothers had attended San Antonio Roosevelt, which wasn't too far away.

 

Since my father was given on-base officer housing---I decided to attend Randolph for convenience sake, plus a couple of former classmates/teammates at Yokota were at Randolph.

 

I had pretty long hair (Peter Frampton style), and I'd lettered in four varsity sports at Yokota (football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling), so I wasn't too worried about Coach Mickler's initial opinion.

 

In fact, it motivated me.

 

Well, by our second scrimmage against either Devine or East Central, I was starting both ways, at right guard and defensive end.

 

The team didn't live up to the pre-season hype, and even worse, we were the first team not to beat our hated rival, the Army brats themselves, San Antonio Cole (we tied 0-0).

 

To this day, I don't know if Coach Mickler ever forgave us for not beating Cole that season.

 

As the season continued, Coach Mickler and I became very close, and I only wish I'd been there during the off-season so I would've felt a little more comfortable in saying what I felt (as if that's ever been a problem of mine) during the season.

 

Well, I graduated the next spring, and Coach Mickler and others on staff (Jimmy Turnbow and Terry English) stayed in touch all of the time, even after I went off to college...and into my professional career.

 

But, I will never forget that day, May 19th, 1992, when I checked the old Associated Press wire...and while weeding through all the various stories, news, and weather alerts...one headline jumped out at me, "San Antonio Football Coach Killed in Accident."

 

I wasn't even paying attention, until I read where it was Bob Mickler and his wife, and I sat there stunned...in silence for what seemed like hours, and I couldn't breath.

 

Finally, a fellow employee asked if I was okay, and snapped me out of my state of shock.

 

I remember trying to tell my radio audience what just happened, and it was one of the toughest things I've ever done live on the radio.

 

I remember earlier that day not knowing exactly what main topic we'd have---it was summertime, so not much going on, but when I spilled my guts about Coach Mickler, it gave many other former high school players a chance to talk about their coach, and it was awesome hearing about the role coaches play in our society.

 

My former teammate at Randolph, Pete Wesp has been the head coach at Randolph for quite some time, and has a pretty good team this season...in fact, the Ro-Hawks are pounding a lot of teams...and I have honestly checked their score every single Friday night since my first year in college.

 

But no one will ever replace Coach Mickler, and I know Pete Wesp knows that.

 

Coach Mickler was intimidating, he loved to call me or anyone else a "moron" when we screwed up (which of course "never" happened), he rode me hard, I guess unlike what you're allowed to do in coaching these days...I wanted my coach to scream and yell at me. I always thought if he wasn't, something was wrong.

 

And I'll never forget after my last game, a pretty bad loss to Hays Consolidated when Coach Mickler walked around the locker room and talked to each player. I was the last locker (remember I came in right before the season started)...and I just knew he was going to say something smart-######, but he leaned down towards me and said, "Smoaky, I don't know where we would've been this season without you, son---you were a God-send."

 

Needless to say, I balled...and I didn't want to take off my shoulder pads...but that time finally came. But I will always remember what he said to me on my last night of football.

 

Randolph went on another nice run right after my senior season, Quarterfinals in '77 (Lost to Van Vleck and a stud named Eric Martin), Semifinals in '78 (lost to Sealy and some kid named Eric Dickerson!), and 3-rounds deep during my youngest brother Philip's senior season in 1980.

 

I know this is far more information than anyone wanted to know, but when I think about Coach Mickler, I can't help but let it all out.

 

Although my father will always be my hero and role model, Coach Mickler was a close second. I loved that man...and he made me a better person, and had a lot to do with my competitive desire.

 

There was a recent article written about Coach Mickler in the San Antonio Express-News...after reading it you'll know why I loved the guy.

 

Bob Mickler

 

David Smoak

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Coach Doug Williams.....Principal at Brownsboro now.....

Coach Blake Cooper.....Assistant Superintendent at Kaufman now....

Coach Scott Wells......coach at Springtown now....

Coach Joe Fleming.....baseball coach at Brownsboro now....

Coach Steve Pinnell....Head Football Coach/AD......Winnsboro

Coach Gary Brown.....Principal at Wylie now....

Coach Charles Felts.....retired coach

Coach Kirk Capo.....girls basketball coach in oklahoma now

Coach Buddy Hawkins.....head girls basketball coach at Winnsboro....

Coach Tom Campbell....head girls junior high athletic director...winnsboro

Talk about REAL coaches teaching every day about being a MAN........SUPER F-U-N-D-A-M-E-N-T-A-L COACHES

Great Family Men.......Great Community Citizens.......Great Role Models.......Thanks for everything!!!!!!

 

Rugged Red Alumni

Don't Be The Weakest Link :notworthy:

most of these guys came after I graduated. I never really played for Felts because his son was a year younger. My 7th grade year he coached the 8th grade and then when Matt was a 7th grader, he switched and coached them. Coach Campbell and Saucier coached us and they were very good. Speaking of Tom Campbell, I always said he deserves a lot of the praise for the success of the Lady Raiders basketball teams. You speak of fundamentals. He was one of the best and it showed once those girls got to high school. Coach Hawkins used to coach football too. I never played for him because I was on the Varsity, but he always won with the same kids who somehow couldnt win once they got to Varsity.

 

I dont know if you ever played for Tony Thompson, but he is one of the best coaches that ever coached in Winnsboro. He made a lasting impression on my life and although I have not talked to him, I often think about how he made an impression on my life. He knew how to win with class and Winnsboro made a mistake letting him go. Guided us to the first baseball district championship in 42 years and the first playoff game in 24 years. He has won everywhere he has been.

 

Another coach who was very good and made a lasting impression was Steve Railey . He was all about working hard and winning. He coached freshman and jv basketball. too bad they never gave him a shot with the varsity. He definately knew how to win and would have started more of a tradition there for the boys program. my friends and I still talk about some of his practices and the memories we shared. he never pulled off either. we continually beat teams 120 -20 and won many district championships.

 

there have been many great coaches pass through Winnsboro. I wish more would have planted their roots there.

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My coach story involves the late-great Bob Mickler, still among the Top 25 in all-time winning percentage in Texas HS Football history, if not higher.

 

I loved that man, and our relationship didn't start very well.

 

Other than my father---Coach Mickler is among a small group right after that, Tom Osborne, Joe Gibbs, and Coach Mickler.

 

He was the long-time and incredibly successful head football coach at Universal City Randolph.

 

When our family was transferred from Yokota AFB in Japan to San Antonio, I went to visit the Randolph coaching staff , and the first time I met Coach Mickler, he told me "you won't be able to play for us."

 

Well, Randolph had a great tradition and the 1976 team was state-ranked in the pre-season poll.

 

I knew about Randolph's tradition because we'd lived in San Antonio prior to moving to Japan, but my two older brothers had attended San Antonio Roosevelt, which wasn't too far away.

 

Since my father was given on-base officer housing---I decided to attend Randolph for convenience sake, plus a couple of former classmates/teammates at Yokota were at Randolph.

 

I had pretty long hair (Peter Frampton style), and I'd lettered in four varsity sports at Yokota (football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling), so I wasn't too worried about Coach Mickler's initial opinion.

 

In fact, it motivated me.

 

Well, by our second scrimmage against either Devine or East Central, I was starting both ways, at right guard and defensive end.

 

The team didn't live up to the pre-season hype, and even worse, we were the first team not to beat our hated rival, the Army brats themselves, San Antonio Cole (we tied 0-0).

 

To this day, I don't know if Coach Mickler ever forgave us for not beating Cole that season.

 

As the season continued, Coach Mickler and I became very close, and I only wish I'd been there during the off-season so I would've felt a little more comfortable in saying what I felt (as if that's ever been a problem of mine) during the season.

 

Well, I graduated the next spring, and Coach Mickler and others on staff (Jimmy Turnbow and Terry English) stayed in touch all of the time, even after I went off to college...and into my professional career.

 

But, I will never forget that day, May 19th, 1992, when I checked the old Associated Press wire...and while weeding through all the various stories, news, and weather alerts...one headline jumped out at me, "San Antonio Football Coach Killed in Accident."

 

I wasn't even paying attention, until I read where it was Bob Mickler and his wife, and I sat there stunned...in silence for what seemed like hours, and I couldn't breath.

 

Finally, a fellow employee asked if I was okay, and snapped me out of my state of shock.

 

I remember trying to tell my radio audience what just happened, and it was one of the toughest things I've ever done live on the radio.

 

I remember earlier that day not knowing exactly what main topic we'd have---it was summertime, so not much going on, but when I spilled my guts about Coach Mickler, it gave many other former high school players a chance to talk about their coach, and it was awesome hearing about the role coaches play in our society.

 

My former teammate at Randolph, Pete Wesp has been the head coach at Randolph for quite some time, and has a pretty good team this season...in fact, the Ro-Hawks are pounding a lot of teams...and I have honestly checked their score every single Friday night since my first year in college.

 

But no one will ever replace Coach Mickler, and I know Pete Wesp knows that.

 

Coach Mickler was intimidating, he loved to call me or anyone else a "moron" when we screwed up (which of course "never" happened), he rode me hard, I guess unlike what you're allowed to do in coaching these days...I wanted my coach to scream and yell at me. I always thought if he wasn't, something was wrong.

 

And I'll never forget after my last game, a pretty bad loss to Hays Consolidated when Coach Mickler walked around the locker room and talked to each player. I was the last locker (remember I came in right before the season started)...and I just knew he was going to say something smart-######, but he leaned down towards me and said, "Smoaky, I don't know where we would've been this season without you, son---you were a God-send."

 

Needless to say, I balled...and I didn't want to take off my shoulder pads...but that time finally came. But I will always remember what he said to me on my last night of football.

 

Randolph went on another nice run right after my senior season, Quarterfinals in '77 (Lost to Van Vleck and a stud named Eric Martin), Semifinals in '78 (lost to Sealy and some kid named Eric Dickerson!), and 3-rounds deep during my youngest brother Philip's senior season in 1980.

 

I know this is far more information than anyone wanted to know, but when I think about Coach Mickler, I can't help but let it all out.

 

Although my father will always be my hero and role model, Coach Mickler was a close second. I loved that man...and he made me a better person, and had a lot to do with my competitive desire.

 

There was a recent article written about Coach Mickler in the San Antonio Express-News...after reading it you'll know why I loved the guy.

 

Bob Mickler

 

David Smoak

 

Thats a very good article Smoaky. Thank you for sharing.

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Guest RRHoochieKoo
Thats a very good article Smoaky. Thank you for sharing.

I agree. Read the link and that was a great article too.

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Ditto for Jackie Mayfield (Daingerfield High School).

 

Great teacher, coach and person.

 

I totally agree on this one. Jackie has been my role model as a coach since I first met him. He didn't give up on this rebellious stupid a@# kid then, or now. I owe all that I am in my professional life to my dad and Coach Mayfield.

 

Thanks Jackie!!!

 

Jabo Croley

 

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For me - Dave Dubose - Taught me many lessons that have helped me throughout my 37 years on this earth. He pushed me to be a better man and to realize that I could achieve things that I myself (as a teenager) did not think I could do.

 

He was a strict disciplinarian and a man of honor, integrity, and high expectations for all of his student athletes.

the lessons that I learned from him not only helped me to be a better man, but a better father, coach, spouse, and co-worker.

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Guest RRHoochieKoo

I had several coaches that made a postitive impact on my life, Burley Lamb, Bill Luce, "Big John" Wills, and C.L. Nix. But probably the man I most admired, who was a coach but not mine personally, was Herb Richardson. He was the Tyler Junior College womens BBall coach. His strong character and christian beliefs laid a foundation for me to follow to this day.

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Coach Mark Caldwell from Brownsboro. He was my coach in the early 80's. He coached 7th and 8th grade football at that time and is now back at Brownsboro. He was a man that new the game well but more important he was able to get to the kids. 7th and 8th grade is a time when young men are just starting to shape who they will be and a football coach can go a long way toward making or breaking the man to be. He was not only the kind of person that cared how you did on the field but also how you were doing in life. A good man that i want to take the time to let people know he made a difference.

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