Friday, August 08, 2008
By Chad Conine
Tribune-Herald staff writer
When LeRoy Coleman left University High School last November, he admitted it was a tearful goodbye after 30 years at the school.
But as he sat on a cart outside of the La Vega field house Thursday afternoon, Coleman seemed to be his jolly old self.
“I don’t have to worry about what to do on third-and-nine anymore,” Coleman said with a laugh.
After 27 seasons as the head coach at University, in which Coleman recorded a 141-137-9 record, the former Trojan coach is back to the role that last took him to a state championship game — an assistant coach for a promising football team.
Coleman instructed the defensive tackles at Temple under coach Bob McQueen when the Wildcats advanced to the Class 4A state championship game before falling to San Antonio Churchill in 1976. The next season, he moved on to University as an assistant and became the Trojans’ head coach in 1981.
When Coleman left University late last year, it was termed a retirement. But Coleman didn’t intend to stay away from the football field for long.
He took a position in La Vega’s Alternative Education Program in the spring and began working with the Pirates’ defensive tackles in the offseason.
When preseason practice began Monday, Coleman found himself in the familiar position of teaching kids under the hot two-a-day sun. Coleman has a talented group of defensive tackles to guide while serving on close friend Willie Williams’ coaching staff.
‘Their loss and our gain’
When Coleman left the University head coach’s office, Williams felt the sting, but the La Vega coach also moved to bring Coleman into the Pirates’ field house.
“It’s kind of a touchy subject with me because I disagree with the way they treated him over there,” Williams said about Coleman’s supposed retirement. “He put all that time into that program when it was nothing and brought it to where it was something. Truth be known, it wasn’t his idea to retire. That’s nothing against (athletic director Johanna) Denson because I think her hands were tied. But it’s their loss and our gain.”
Williams said Coleman brings another experienced football mind to a coaching staff that was already steeped in experience.
Not only that, Williams, who called Coleman his best friend, said his new assistant coach is a quality role model for the La Vega players.
“It brings someone else into our program that has great character,” Williams said.
Though Coleman worked in the La Vega school district as a teacher in the spring, he’ll just be coaching this fall. Because the former University coach has more than 20 years of teaching experience, he’s eligible to work as a contracted hourly employee while earning teacher’s retirement pay, and he doesn’t have to continue working in a classroom in order to coach.
“Wherever I can help and assist, I told Coach Williams just let me know,” Coleman said. “I’m just able to keep doing something I really love doing.”
This preseason, Coleman is making the metaphorical shift from a wide-angle lens to a microscope.
As a position coach, Coleman is less concerned with the big picture than he is with the finer points of helping a few players develop their technique.
“You get a chance to really get involved and really coach,” Coleman said. “As a head coach, you’ve got so many other things that you have to look at and worry about as far as the overall picture.”
Plenty of Pirate talent
It helps that he has some talent at his disposal.
La Vega senior Tim Kemp recorded 80 tackles in 2007, a huge number for a player in the trenches. He and Jose Davila will likely be the starters, but Coleman said he’s seen some good things from a couple of younger players that could give the Pirates a four-player rotation at defensive tackle.
Coleman seems content to let his defensive tackles, and the Pirates squad in general, take the spotlight while he blends in to the big picture.
“It’s not about me,” Coleman said. “It’s about the La Vega Pirates.
“Coach Williams and I are great, great friends. I’m just happy to be a part of this program and this coaching staff.”
cconine@wacotrib.com
757-5711
Comments
By null
Aug 21, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this
Talent level at University wasn't cutting it, not play calling. You might see University have a descent season this year, but once the new wears off they will go back to being so,so!!
By Waco
Aug 13, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this
Hey,
Now wait one minute. Johanna did not have anything to do with it coach. She was just doing as she was told. Coach Jacinto and the others were belly aching about having to do tournaments and such. As for Waco's loss, I doubt it very seriously. We didn't really loose him, we have someone from San Antonio who is great. I still love coach C, but let's make it clear, it was not my girl Johannas fault!! Also, as a high school coach, it is kind of nice seeing new faces around town! We still love you coach, but Johanna had nothing to do with this. As far as Willie, keep those boys out of trouble and make sure that if you play CS, you guys think smart and play hard. To be honest, you blew the game. I wanted to tell you, but you were too busy pointing the finger at the players!!
By hjames
Aug 11, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
Yep, I played at a small 3A school. It was LaVega way back in the late 50's. We had our ups and downs when LV first went up to 3A from 2A. It was a big jump from Mexia, West, McGregor, Marlin, Hillsboro, etc., The teams in our district suddenly were University (formally Waco Tech when it was a big 3A school then), Killeen, Cleburne (Pat Culpepper, David McWilliams, Timmy Doerr, Lynn Morrison, etc.), Ennis, Waxahachie, Belton (Richard Inmon), etc. Hell, we almost beat Bryan (4A) at Bryan my senior year. The next year my brother's team (I graduated in 1960) beat Brownwood and Gordon Wood at LaVega and lost a close one at Belton to just miss bi district). That was before teams could come in 2nd and 3rd in District and still go to the play-offs.
As I said, it doesn't make any difference what plays are called if the players can execute and are motivated..but they have to have some ability, speed, smarts....they can make any play go. When you mix ability, speed, smarts, etc., with good coaching, you have a real chance to win...When you mix good coaching with mediocre ability, slowness, smallness, etc., your chances of winning are slim, especially if you have to play teams that are big, fast, smart and fired up and well coached. But even if you have all the talent in the world and the players aren't fired up and don't want to pay the price and the town folk are always bad-mouthing the coaches, winning comes rarely. It is all about reality, for Null's sake. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken pooh pooh....it is just a fact!
By hjames
Aug 11, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
Yep, I played at a small 3A school. It was LaVega way back in the late 50's. We had our ups and downs when LV first went up to 3A from 2A. It was a big jump from Mexia, West, McGregor, Marlin, etc., The teams in our district suddenly were University (formally Waco Tech when it was a big 3A school then), Killeen, Cleburne (Pat Culpepper, David McWilliams, Timmy Doerr, Lynn Morrison, etc.), Ennis, Waxahachie, Belton (Richard Inmon), etc. Hell, we almost beat Bryan (4A) at Bryan my senior year. The next year my brother's team (I graduated in 1960) beat Brownwood and Gordon Wood at LaVega and lost a close one at Belton to just miss bi district). That was before teams could come in 2nd and 3rd in District and still go to the play-offs.
As I said, it doesn't make any difference what plays are called if the players can execute and are motivated..but they have to have some ability, speed, smarts....they can make any play go. When you mix ability, speed, smarts, etc., with good coaching, you have a real chance to win...When you mix good coaching with mediocre ability, slowness, smallness, etc., your chances of winning are slim, especially if you have to play teams that are big, fast, smart and fired up and well coached. But even if you have all the talent in the world and the players aren't fired up and don't want to pay the price and the town folk are always bad-mouthing the coaches, winning comes rarely. It is all about reality, for Null's sake. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken pooh pooh....it is just a fact!
By From a small 3a school
Aug 11, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
Maybe the same plays will work in the small 3A schools?? In case you dont remember lv lost by one point in'06 and came back and kicked a in '07!! how 'bout that for a small 3a school!
By hjames
Aug 8, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this
null is typical of someone who really knows nothing about high school football or football in general. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken pooh pooh (to be nice). If you don't have the speed, size, intellect, athleticism, etc., you have a tough time beating those teams who have those attributes in their players. It really doesn't matter what offense a team runs or what plays are called. If the players don't have the athleticism, talent or mentality to excute, no offense or defense works even if they are good kids...which I am sure University kids were and are. There are good coaches and there are coaches who are not so good. Time takes care of that but 27 years is a pretty good run and 141 wins at a school which is consistently small in its division is not bad either.
People who were crappy athletes, pissers and moaners, locker room lawyers, never played on a real team, always in trouble in school or made bad grades because they couldn't get enough control of themselves to work hard and study harder always seem to want to say negative things about those who have been in the battles and given it all they had...as is the case with Coach Coleman. Coleman has proved his decency, character, class and ability. I wonder where null fits in that scheme of things.
By Ed Kultgen
Aug 8, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
I envy the young men in the La Vega football program. Having both Coach Williams and Coach Coleman teaching them the game and the life lessons involved in it is an experience to be cherished! Good luck and God bless you.
By LV Parent
Aug 8, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
Welcome Coach Coleman. Wisdom is always a welcomed asset. No matter what ranks you are in. You have always been a man of intergrity and as a football parent I am proud to have you as a part of the coaching staff.
By null
Aug 8, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
It was time to get Coleman out of University... The same plays for 10 years were getting old.... After the 2002 Football Season, the football program had not reached as far in the playoffs as it did that fall of 2002. Good Luck La Vega, and Good Luck Coleman, maybe your same ole plays will work in the small 3A schools, just wasnt cutting it anymore in 4A...
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