Born: July 26, 1929 in San Antonio, Texas
Education: San Antonio Tech High School B.S. Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State) M.A. Sam Houston State University
Marital: Married for 51 years, 4 children, 9 grand children, 3 great grand children
Coaching: 32 years, 29 as the head track coach
I started my coaching career as the head coach for the Boling Jr High School in 1952. I stayed in Boling for 7 years, moving up to the high school track coach my last 5 years. During those 7 years at Boling, my teams won 4 District Championships, qualified 16 for the Regional Meet, and won many Invitational Meet Championships. Outstanding athletes were: Franklin Hill, David Cooper, Elmer Sabrusula, Harold McLeod, Servando Rodriguez (qualified in 5 events for regionals) and Jimmy Sommers.
I moved to El Campo as the head track coach the next 9 years. During that time, my track teams won 3 District Championships, 1 Regional Championship and placed 3rd in the State Meet. We also won many Invitational Meet Championships. We qualified 22 for the regional meet and 15 for the state meet. Outstanding athletes were: Carl Hight, Henry Henderson, Billy Joe Polasek, Bill Shutt, Willie Tolliver, Charles Pruess, Alvin Barnes, and Eugene Polasek (qualified for regionals in 5 field events)
I moved to Clear Creek in 1968 as an assistant football coach. I was at Clear Creek for 4 years. My last year at Creek, I became the head track coach of the freshman team. We
won district that year (1971) and the freshman team was undefeated. Outstanding athletes were: Mark Harrison and Paul Peterson.
When Clear Lake High School opened in 1972, I went there as the head track coach and head cross country coach for the next 12 years. My track teams won 5 district championships. We qualified 28 athletes for the Regional Track Meet and 18 of those for the State Meet. We won numerous Invitational Meet Championships. Outstanding athletes were: Mark Harrison, Paul Peterson, Rob Montgomery, Paul Montgomery, Jon Shelton, Jerry Capps, John Stuart, Tom Sherwood, Scott Jones, Perry Miller, Bill Roberts, and Steve Horton.
Clear Lake’s Cross Country Team won 1 State Championship, 3rd place at State, 3 Regional Championships, and 4 District Championships. Outstanding athletes were: Scott Jones (individual state champ) Perry Miller, Bill Roberts, Tom Sherwood, and Eric Lathrop.
All throughout my head coaching career I was fortunate to have great assistant coaches. I want to express my thanks to each one of them. A track and cross country athlete is a special athlete, and in my years of coaching track and cross country, I had many special athletes who helped me attain my record as a winning coach. I give thanks to each one of them.
Attended Wheatley HS. In San Antonio Graduated from Texas Southern in 1955
Started his coaching career at B.C. Elmore H.S. 55-56 His mile relay teams ran 3:18 Coached Johnston Jr. High Coached Wheatley High School Coached Sterling H.S. from 1981 – 1992
His sprint relays were at various times in the 40.3 range and he also had good 1600 relays as well. It used to be said that he sprint relay to state ran through Sterling. Some of the great athletes that this great track coach produced were Scotty Jones, Greg Pruitt (who went on to All-American status in football At Oklahoma University), Adley Richard current Athletic Director for North Forest I.S.D., Bradley Richard, Jody Armstrong state champion in the 110 HH.
One of Coach Walker’s trademark was his “black bag” which he carried everywhere with him. It was said that he had a remedy for every excuse that a runner could have for not producing. Many have commented that Coach Walker was a master at bringing the most out of his young athletes.
He worked with Coach Gerald Mills as a volunteer coach until his death.
Edward G. Robinson writes: Coach Walker was a very stern coach, but he loved his kids. He would arrive at school on meet days (Saturdays) at 5:00 A.M. to issue uniforms and his kids were always there. He was the master of the sprint relay exchange and had his formula that he called “fool proof.” We learned from each other, and over the years we developed great respect for one another. The main theme that he would always tell us couaches, regardless of the sport involved was “speed kills.”
Education:
University of Arkansas BSE 1973
University of Central Arkansas MSE 1977
Teaching Positions:
Johnston Jr. High Houston ISD 1974-76
Concordia Lutheran College Austin, TX 1977-78
Bammel Middle School Spring ISD 1978-91
Westfield high School Spring ISD 1990-97
Coaching Highlights:
District Track and Field Championships 1988, 1989
Cross Country Regional Qualifier 1991 State Qualifier High Jump 1991
State Runner Up High Jump 1992
State Champion Long Jump 1995
State Champion Shot Put 1996
State Champion Long Jump 1996
State Champion 200 M Dash 1996 State Runner Up Triple Jump 1996
3rd Place State 4 X 100 M Relay 1996 3rd Place Team Region II 1996
2nd Place Team State Meet 1996
Texas Girls Coaches Association: All-Star, Katrina Harris High Jump 1992
All-Star Nominee, Tisha Parker Triple Jump 1996
Academic All-Star, Jamila Nelson 1996
All-State, Tisha Parker 1996
Athlete Honors: Tisha Parker McDonald’s International Prep Invitatiional 1996
Olympic Trials 1996 All American 2000 ShaRonda Haynes All State 1996 Janac Strickland Olympic Trials 2004
Other: Nationally ranked in 3 events by Track & Field News 1996 Sent the first relay team in Westfield history to State 1996 2nd place finish at the state meet – best ranking of any 1996 athletic team in Westfield history Division I Scholarships - 4 Division II Scholarships - 3
Graduated Hamilton High School, Hamilton, Texas, 1950, BS 1954 and MEd 1959 North Texas State College, Post Graduate Studies, Lamar University 1973,1974
Coached high school track and field for 17 years. Started the cross country program at Clear Creek High School in 1962. Coached cross country until 1974. Retired from coaching for medical reasons in 1975. Continued to teach government at Clear Creek High School until 1989. Social Studies Chair, Clear Creek High School 1979-89. Retired with 36 years in the teaching profession.
Cross Country
4 District Championships 3 Regional Championships 4 State Championships
1966 State Championship team – John Walker, Robert Coe, Tinkler Murray, Mike Larrinaga, Martin Bennett, Neil Humphrey and Beanie Davis
1971 State Championship team - Darrell Williams, David Williams, Bill Broadhead, Bruce Winstanley, Ralph Betancourt, Dwight Smith and Shawn Griffith
1972 State Championship team - David Halleck, Ralph Betancourt, Robert Garriot, Bruce Winstanley, Ron Chapman, Bruce Roach and John Matlock
1974 State Championship team – Robert Garriot, Kevin Freise, Duane Phinney, Randy Payne, Patrick Brand, Santos Mares and James Kurth
3 Individual State Champions 1966 John Walker 10:06 1967 Mike McClendon 10:06* 1971 Darrell Williams 9:34.81
Track and Field
1 District Championship
59 Regional Qualifiers
15 State Qualifiers
2 State Champions 1963 - James Mitchell Long Jump 1968 - Mike McClendon Mile
Best Performances
1963 James Mitchell Long Jump 22’10”
1967 John Walker Mile 4:17.5
1968 Mitch McClendon 880,Mile,2Mile 1:55.7,4:15.8,9:30.7 (All State)
1970 Jack Colovin Mile,2Mile,3Mile 4:17.5,9:26.4,14:31 (All State)
1970 Jimmy Gailey 330 IH 37.7 (National Junior Record)
1971 Jimmy Gailey 120 HH, 330 IH 13.8, 37.2 (All State) 120CHH, 440 IH 14.2, 52.5 (Meet of Champions)
1972 John McDaniel 880,Mile,2Mile 1:53.5,4:09.3,9:30.1
1972 Darrell Williams 880,Mile,2Mile 1:54.7,4:19.0,9:22.9
1972 David Williams 880,Mile,2Mile 1:55.7,4:17.5,9:40.1
1972 Bill Brodhead 880,Mile,2Mile 1:57.7,4:21.5,9:40.3
Best Relay Performances
1972 2 Mile Relay: Darrell Williams, Bill Brodhead, John McDaniel, David Williams 7:50.9 (#1 in the nation)
1972 Distance Medley: Bill Brodhead, Bruce Roach, Darrell Williamson, John McDaniel 10:21.6 (#2 in the nation)
*Mike McClendon was 15 years old at the start of his senior year. He was undefeated in both cross country and track for the season.
Education:
Graduated from Plainview High School – 1971 – participated in football and track (sprinter 9.6, 21.6 - 100 yards and 220 yards, respectively)
Graduated from Rice University – 1976 – participated in track (10.1, 20.3 - 100 & 200 meters)
1976 Olympic trials qualifier (100 & 200 meters)
Professional:
1976 - 1977 – Berta Dean Intermediate School (Cy Fair ISD) – Coached football/track and taught English
Fall 1977 - Spring 1984 – Victoria High School – Head Track & Cross Country Coach, Assistant Football Coach 6 district cross country team championships 3 teams qualified for state cross country meet 4 district track and field team championships Key athletes in Victoria Alfredo Gomez – 1:54, 4:15, 9:15 (800,1600,3200) John Harrison – 7’1” (HJ)
Fall 1984 - Spring 2000 – Kingwood High School (Humble ISD) – Head Track & Cross Country Coach
12 district cross country championships
9 regional cross country championships
7 state cross country team championships (1988, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
2 time #1 national ranking in cross country
8 district track and field team championships
2 regional track and field team championships
Key athletes in Kingwood
Brad Hauser 2 time state cross country champion (1993, 1994) State 3200 meter champion - pr - 9:01, 4:13 Footlocker Cross Country National Finalist (1992-94)
Brent Hauser State cross country runner up State 3200 meter runner up - pr - 9:06, 4:13 Footlocker Cross Country National Finalist (1993-94)
Lewis Jones State Cross Country Champion (1995) State 3200 and 1600 Champion (1996) pr - 1:53,4:14, 9:16 Footlocker Cross Country National Finalist (1994 - 96)
Tyson Hendrickson – State Cross Country Champion (1996) State 3200 Champion – (1997) - pr - 9:05, 4:15
Jeff Wood – State Cross Country Champion (1997) State 1600 Champion (1998) - pr - 9:09, 4:14 Footlocker Cross Country National Finalist (1997)
Scott Beasely - 800 - 1:52
Mike Gibson - 1600 - 4:14
Steve Frazier – SP – 65’ - state 3rd place
Lennis Ross – HJ – 7’ – state runner-up
May 2000 to present - Humble ISD Athletic Director
Region III AAAAA & AAA Track and Field Meet Director - 2000 - 2003
Brazoswood and Angleton High Schools
Graduated Abilene High School 1956
3 time state meet qualifier- pole vault 1954 – placed 4th, 1955 – placed 2nd, 1956 – placed 1st
Team won state team title in ’54 and ’55
Competed for Texas Tech – 1959 1st individual SWC champion for Tech in outdoor track and field
Coaching Career
Robstown – 1960-1964
Calallen – 1964-1972 Head Track
3 district team titles, 2 regional runner up team titles
3 individual state champions
Beeville – 1973-1976
1 district team title
Angleton – 1976-1982
2 district team titles
1 regional team title
Key atheletes: sprinter - Sherman Hall 9.4 100 yards
Shot, discus - David Stanely
Brazoswood –1982-1998
1 district team title
14 district team cross country team titles
4 straight years (1984, 85, 86, 87) District Champions, Regional Champions,
State Runner-ups – Cross Country
Key athletes:
Distance runners – Sean Murray, Jeremy Dye, Kenneth Whitten, Andy Wright,
Robert Perry
800 meters - Scott Scarbough
High jump - Doug Rhinehart, Kenny Lunsfor
2001 impact Award Honoree- Coach Oliver Brown No Stranger to the Sports World Four Decades of Excellence
* Lockette Junior High School assistant track coach and head basketball coach 1959-1960, Assistant football coach
* Assisted in the 1st city championship 1959 track and field, Lockette Junior High
* 29 out of 32 district championships boys’ track and field
*8 regional championships
*1 state championship 3 state runner ups
* 13 out of 13 girls district championships at Worthing HS; 1 at Phillis Wheatley
* Developed and coached the 1st Texas High School Olympian female in track and field since the 1st in 1932 for the 1972 Munich games
* founder, organizer, and director of the Obie Williams relays 1967-1997
* Certified track and field official
* coach of the year award from the Houston association 1985-1997 (boys and girls)
* coach of 28 all- americans
* coached 21 professional athletes
* coached 6 super bowl champs
* coached 1 female Olympian champ
* coached the 1st hall of fame athlete from Houston I.S.D., Mike Singletary-Chicago bears
* Exxon math/science excellence in teaching award 1993
* Inducted into the Houston coach’s association hall of honor-1993
* awarded outstanding service awards by Dr. Larry Alexander 1994-1995, 19951996. retired to a life of leisure in 1998. He and his lovely wife, Ramona M. Brown are members of Wesley chapel A.M.E. church under the leadership of Pastor E.E. Coates. They are the proud parents of one daughter, Tselane Brown.
Sam Kruse was born and raised in Yoakum, Texas. He played football and ran track in high school. He placed 3rd at the state meet in the 100 and 220-yard dashes. While at college, his freshman year was spent at Victoria Jr. College under Coach Eddie Shinn where they won the National Jr. College Championship. He graduated from McNeese State College and coached one year at Vinton, Louisiana where he had his first head job in high school and had a hurdler named Roger Bartee who won state in the high hurdles.
Sam then went to M.B. Smiley HS in the North Forest I.S.D. and coached football and track for several years. He became the head coach of the track team in 1970 and stayed there until 1984. He was fortunate enough to have had some good relay teams while at Smiley winning 6 district championships. His 4 X 100 Relay teams were state champions in 1971 and 1972. Carl Roaches was on that team and also won the 100. Mike Ross was on that team as well and ran a 9.4 in the 100 and 13.7 in the highs. Later at Smiley another excellent runner named Floyd Furlow ran 10.2 (meters) and 20.9. He had an excellent long jumper named Carl Turner that went 25’1 ½" in the long jump at regional meet and finished 2nd! It was the first time in Texas where two individual jumpers were over 25 feet in the same meet. He also had a distance runner named Milton Sarabia who broke 59 seconds in the 400m only once in his life but ran a 9:26 for two miles. He ran 120 miles a week.
Sam changed jobs in the summer of 1984 and went to Aldine Senior high where he was fortunate enough to have had several competitive teams. Jermaine Jenkins was one of his best athletes who high jumped 7’ 1 ½". Jerry Morrison was his best distance runner who went to state twice in cross-country and once in track. He ran 14:41.9 on a course that turned out to be 3 miles and 19 yards. His girl’s crosscountry teams were district champions in 1984,1985, and 1986.
Overall, Sam coached 34 years and he is now head of the Social Studies department at Aldine Senior HS. He plans on retiring after two more years in the summer of 2004. His wife Mary Jo is the head librarian at Klein Oak HS. Sam has thoroughly enjoyed his 34 years in the coaching profession.
John Bryan was involved as a track and field coach for 35 years. He is a lifetime member of the Texas High School Coaches Association and a former member of the Track Advisory Committee. He received the Outstanding Achievement Award for track and field in 1998.
Cross Country
12 District Championships 15 Regional Meet Team Qualifiers 4 Regional Championships 8 State Meet Team Qualifiers 1 State Championship (1980) 1997 - Boy’s Cross Country Coach of the Year National Federation Interscholastic Coaches Association, Section 6
Track and Field
4 District Championships
141 Regional Qualifiers
1 Regional Championship
24 State Meet Qualifiers
1 State Championship (1981)
5 State Champions:
1980 – John Robinson 1600m
1980 – Gawain Guy 800m
1981 – Gawain Guy 1600m
1988 – Danny Datchelet 1600m
1989 – Brian Williams High Jump
Best Performances:
1980 - John Robinson 1600m 4:03.8 (state record, #2 in nation)
1980 - Gawain Guy 800m 1:51.2
1981 - Gawain Guy 1600m 4:10.51 (mile 4:07.25 – #1 in nation) Won Golden West and Int. Prep meets, ranked #1 HS miler by T&F News
1981 4 X 800m Relay 7:39.92 (#1 in nation)
1981 Distance Medley Relay 10:09.5 (#1 in nation)
1984 Jon Shelton High Jump 7’2"
1986 Sean Stone Pole Vault 16’2"
1988 Danny Dachelet 1600m 4:11.3
1989 Brian Williams High Jump 7’0" 1
992 Brock Crenek High Jump 6’111⁄2"
1998 Elijah Mallery Triple Jump 49’6"
High School attended: Central High School – Galveston, Texas
Athletic participation: Football and Track
College attended: Southern University – Baton Rouge, LA
Athletic participation: Football and Track
Schools coached: Central High School, 1959-66
Ball High School, 1966-87
Contributions to the field of athletics:
Athletic Director – Galveston Independent School District. 1987-92 5 State Championships at Ball High (1973-74, 1977, 1986-87 1 State Championshp at Central High (1964) 12 Regional Championships (1972-75,1977-79, 1981, 1983, 1985-87 12 individual state championships From 1972 – 1977 won 61 out of 66 track meets Twice won straight track meet (1973 and 1977) teams went undefeated in 1973-75 and 1977 3 High school record users 39 All-Americans 3 high school record holders
Honors received: Texas Sports Writers Coach Association "Coach of theYear", 1977 and 1986; voted track and field coach of the decade in the 70’s and 80’s by the Houston Chronicle
Athletic organizational
Affiliation(s) activities: Texas Athletic Directors Association (1992)
In high school Marshall Brown was the Wisconsin State Champion in the Discus Throw. He went on to play football and track at the University of Alabama and graduated in 1957. He went on to student coach under Paul "Bear" Bryant and in 1958 earned his Masters Degree. The following details Marshall’s coaching history and successes.
New Mexico Military (1959-1970)
1 State Football Championship
2 Track and Field State Championships
University of Texas at El Paso (1971)
Vidor HS (1971-1973)
Bay City HS (1974-1997)
Track and Field
22 District Championships
6 Regional Championships
2 State Runner-Up Finishes
3 State Championships (1979,1894,1990)
Coach Brown had numerous Regional Qualifiers in every event. He also qualified an athlete in every event to the State Meet except for the 3200m. Other notable athletes coached by Marshall Brown include the following:
Simon Fletcher Discus 1978 State Champion
Joe Deloach Sprints 3 time State Champion Gary Redus Long Jump State Champion
Derek Rutherford Discus 1990 4A State Champion
Edwin Knowles 100m 1990 4A State Champion
Beau Trahan Hurdles 3 time State Qualifier
Darryl Swanks High Jump 3 time State Qualifier
Coach Will Taylor was born in West Texas and graduated from Weatherford High School. He attended Southwest State Oklahoma College. He began his coaching in Marshall, Texas before coming to Spring Branch ISD to be close to his brother Joe who was already coaching in the district. When Memorial High School opened in 1962, Coach Taylor became the boys head track coach and assistant football.
In 1967, Coach Taylor led Memorial High School to a state track championship and several cross country state championships. His coached two national records in the 1600 meter relay and the 1600 meter sprint medley relay. He coached many All American, State Champs, and District Champs who truly excelled under Coach Taylor’s tutelage. His athletes still account for 13 school records (converted); including Schiller (200m), Morton (400m), Drew (800m, 1600m), Donovan (3200m), Pearson (Discus), Green (CC); also including the following relays- 400m (Corson, Brake, Brents, Bouche), 800m (Brents, Morton, Bradley, Bouche), 1600m (Bouche, Brents, Bradley, Morton), 3200m (Joyce, Goldapp, Bradley, O’Brien), 800 SMR (Saunders, Miller, Russell, Schiller), 1600 SMR (Corson, Brake, Brents, Morton). He also coached PV State Champion John Autenrieth (his younger brothers Kurt, Michael, and Jim later all excelled as State Champions or Runner-ups), Frank McMurrey (PV), David Saye (HJ State Runner-up), and Charlie Pennington (HJ) to name only a few.
More important than the many State individual and relay and qualifiers whom he coached, he continues to make a tremendous impact on his athletes as a mentor and father figure. His former MHS alums recently honored him by working with the community leaders and declaring “Coach Will Taylor Day” in the City of Hedwig on February 21, 2015, which coincided with the Will Taylor Relays. This meet began in 1967 originally named Booster Relays, but later changed to Will Taylor Relays in 1989 upon his retirement to honor his service and impact to his athletes and the community. Also, his former athletes developed a Facebook page named “Coach Will Taylor Had a Big Impact on My Life”. He continues to give back to the sport by speaking to MHS athletic teams and serving as the Will Taylor Relays meet director every year.
He and his wife Marilyn continue to live in Spring Branch where they reared their three daughters- Cathy, Keli, and Cynthia. Although their children are grown now, they often return to the Will Taylor Relays to support their father’s accomplishments to the community. He loves fishing and spending time with his 5 grandchildren and many great grandchildren! Thank you Coach Taylor for being the quintessential definition of a great coach and man!
