Kerry Barboza grew up in San Antonio, Texas. After attending high school at Thomas Jefferson, Kerry was on his way to Oral Roberts in Tulsa, before checking out the coast of Virginia while working on his Master’s Degree and getting his feet wet in the news/sports reporting business. Kerry made it back to the San Antonio area in February of 2002, when he took a job at the Boerne Star. For nearly 20 years, Kerry Barboza has been around every state championship moment, the UIL Lone Star Cup, the sp...
Oct 12, 2020•1 hr 15 min
Kerry Barboza grew up in San Antonio, Texas. After attending high school at Thomas Jefferson, Kerry was on his way to Oral Roberts in Tulsa, before checking out the coast of Virginia while working on his Master’s Degree and getting his feet wet in the news/sports reporting business. Kerry made it back to the San Antonio area in February of 2002, when he took a job at the Boerne Star. For nearly 20 years, Kerry Barboza has been around every state championship moment, the UIL Lone Star Cup, the sp...
Oct 06, 2020•1 hr 2 min
Dickie Faught grew up near Brownfield, Texas, and attended college at San Angelo State University. Coach Faught began his coaching career in Klondike, Texas. After a two year stint in Klondike, Coach Faught made a jump back towards home and went to Brownfield as an assistant coach for a few years before taking over the girls basketball program at a time when 3 time WNBA MVP, Sheryl Swoopes was in high school. Coach Faught would coach Brownfield to a state title in 1988. Soon after he took a job ...
Sep 28, 2020•29 min
Coach Shivers grew up in Boerne, Texas. He graduated the Salutatorian of BHS in the Class of 1992. As a high school basketball player, Robbie helped the Boerne Greyhounds reach the 1990 State Championship game. He then went on to Stephen F. Austin University to play college basketball and continue his education, before transferring to Concordia University in Austin, to team up with his older brother David, in a reunion that saw Robbie named as a 2nd Team NAIA All-American. After graduating, Coac...
Sep 26, 2020•1 hr 35 min
In the 45th edition of the Tale Lights Podcast, I did something different. I sat down with a former player of Coach Rip Sewell to honor the deceased coach that made a major impact in the lives of kids out in Ozona, Texas, for many years. Blake Moody not only played football and ran track for Coach Sewell, but was also the son of the superintendent during Coach Sewell's time as AD/HFC. We talked about what it was like growing up in Ozona,, playing for Coach Sewell, the experience of an undefeated...
Sep 19, 2020•40 min
Rick Keith grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast, when his family's livelihood sent them headed out east to Connecticut. In many ways it was a real blessing because in Connecticut, "Tex", as he was called, would find the sport of cross country. As a state qualifying cross country runner, and a member of the varsity hockey team, Rick had quite the adventure in a place where many believed he was a foreign exchange student. He returned to Texas to attend UT before serving in the military, overseas in Ger...
Aug 18, 2020•2 hr 22 min
Steve Taylor grew up the son of a Baptist preacher in Spur, Texas. He went on to play college football at San Angelo State University. After a couple of years as a graduate assistant, Coach Taylor decided it was time to go for the "big money" in the Texas Public School System! Coach Taylor headed for Muleshoe and joined Mike Wartes and Alan Cornelius to make up a trio of a head coach, an offensive coordinator, and a defensive coordinator, that is their ages had been added together, didn't even e...
Aug 07, 2020•1 hr 27 min
Chan Priest grew up in the small town of San Saba, Texas, where his father was the Head Football Coach of the Armadillos. We talk in depth about the history of "The Graveyard" (the football field in San Saba) and Coach Priest tells a great story about the time his father and older brother (who were strong influences on his life), were involved in an altercation (which emanated from Mason, TX.) between the two and a couple of chain crew cowboys in the land of the Punchers, which from the sound of...
Jul 31, 2020•1 hr 30 min
Gary Proffitt grew up in Ballinger, Texas. Coach Proffitt went to college at San Angelo State University, and then entered into his coaching career as an assistant coach of the Goldthwaite Eagles in 1980. Working under Coach Chan Priest, the Eagles won their first state football title in 1985. In 1986, Coach Proffitt took over the program and would lead Goldthwaite to 5 additional state championship football games, winning 3 state titles in all as the head coach, and sending the community on num...
Jul 24, 2020•1 hr 19 min
Lynn Graves grew up on a farm in Buncombe, Texas. He attended high school at Carthage High School and then went to college at Stephen F. Austin State University. Prior to being a head coach, Coach Graves spent time as an assistant at SFA, and in Jacksonville ISD. Coach Graves began his head coaching career as the Head Football Coach at SFA, where he coached the Lumberjacks all the way to the National Championship Game in 1989. With a close loss in the championship game, and impatience during a t...
Jul 17, 2020•2 hr 13 min
Matt Wernecke grew up in Wharton, Texas. No thanks to the help from a pair of double bogey's, Matt caught the eye of the Sam Houston State University Golf Coach, where he went on to play golf in college. After graduating, and finishing his collegiate career, Coach Wernecke began his career in education at Rice Consolidated. Following a semester stay at Rice Cons, Coach Wernecke headed home to Wharton, where he became the head golf coach and found himself running the program fresh out of college....
May 20, 2020•39 min
Callan Nokes is the Head Golf Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Westlake High School, in Austin, Texas. Coach Nokes has coached the Chaps to 6 state titles in Golf, and 15 trips to the state tournament in 17 years! Tune in to learn a little bit about what it takes to be a successful golf coach, and professional educator, from one of the finest in Texas! https://talelightspodcast.com/podcast-interviews [email protected]...
May 19, 2020•42 min
Rose Helmke grew up in San Antonio. She attended Thomas Jefferson High School, and enjoyed taking pictures of fighter jets at Randolph Field. Rose spent many years as an elementary educator, not only in Texas, but also in New Mexico! Have you ever thought about being a double dipper? Rose explains a lot about teaching in New Mexico Public Schools, but also talks about her time teaching on the Reservation at the Mescalero Apache Schools. From the good seats of the Inn of the Mountain Gods, Dave (...
Apr 12, 2020•39 min
Sam Harrell grew up in Seminole, and later moved to Brownwood, where he would play football for Coach Gordon Wood. Coach Harrell was the son of a coach, and had the privilege playing for, learning from, or coaching against, nearly every great football coach in Texas history! He graduated from ACU and then began a career in education in Plainview. He then went on to join Coach Wood's staff in Brownwood. Coach Harrell took his first Head Football Coach in Reagan County, leading the Owls (Big Lake)...
Apr 01, 2020•1 hr 16 min
Get ready for another Podblast! That's right, COVID-19 may keep on kicking, but so does the Tale Lights Podclass! Enjoy this ad free version of the podcast, and satisfy the yearn to learn, woooooo!
Mar 30, 2020•1 hr 2 min
Rick Bachman grew up in San Angelo. After graduating high school, he joined the Navy and set sail. Upon returning to the San Angelo area he enrolled in college at Angelo State University. Coach B began his career down in Alice. After spending time in Alice, he decided to head back out west to Ozona, where he took a job in the oilfield. After many year in the oil industry, he was brought back into education by one of our previous guests, Larry Taylor, who at the time was the Superintendent of Ozo...
Mar 29, 2020•1 hr
Scott Hippensteel grew up surrounded by farm life in the State of Indiana. Coach Hippensteel was recruited by the University of Texas for the sports of cross country and track & field.. He came to Texas and he began his career as a permanent sub at Lanier High School, prior to taking a job as a junior high coach at Leander Jr. High. In the fall of 1988, Coach Hippensteel began a run at Lockhart that is well known and respected throughout the cross country and track & field world in the S...
Mar 29, 2020•1 hr 17 min
Ben English spent his early years in the schools of Terlingua, and graduated from Fort Stockton HS. After high school, Ben joined the United State Marines and headed for San Diego. Following his military service, Ben went to school at Angelo State and then began a career with the Texas DPS, as a State Trooper. Ben English is one incredible man, as following more than twenty years of serving the people as a Trooper, he dove into a two years of teaching the kids criminal justice at Ozona HS. Ben a...
Mar 27, 2020•1 hr 46 min
Coach Billy Nabours spent more than two decades at Comfort High School. He was one of the most recognizable coaches in the area, and loudly supported each and every one of his runners. He had kids participate at the state meet in just about every event imaginable, along with sending boys and girls teams to state in cross country throughout the years, and a bronze medalist team in 2006. Coach Nabours recently retired and now works for the Hill Country Community Journal in Kerrville, and substitut...
Mar 26, 2020•1 hr 29 min
Mike Barnett grew up in Luling, TX., and coached in Luling for 31 years. Coach Barnett coached his hometown cross country team to a UIL record, seven straight state chmapionships in cross country. Join me as we learn a lot more about a man that did incredible things for the children of Luling! https://talelightspodcast.com/podcast-interviews [email protected]
Mar 24, 2020•1 hr 29 min
Jennifer Fox grew up in the Houston area and went to Cypress Creek High School. Go Cougars! Coach Fox then went on to play softball at UTSA, where a small burgeoning university program, was able to crack the Top 25 (at the time the first time in history). Coach Fox went into public education and worked in Marble Falls and Spring Branch ISD, before taking her first head softball coaching job, leading the Boerne Greyhounds to a class 4A (now 5A equivalent) state title. We talk about the Boerne Hal...
Mar 23, 2020•55 min
Join me for an ad free version of the Tale Lights Podcast that transforms into the Tale Lights Podclass! My kids are yearning for the learning and I've got the fire to keep on burning baby, woooooo! Quarantine? Coronavirus? Any of that stopping you? It might have stopped the STAAR Test, but as my students know, the value and importance of learning history goes far beyond a silly test, it's the key to freedom. The only way we remain the greatest society on earth, as free thinking and speaking cit...
Mar 23, 2020•1 hr 9 min
Mr. Dick has led the Friendswood Mighty Mustang Marching Band to ten consecutive UIL State Marching Band Contests, with seven appearances in the finals, and three runner-up finishes! The list of awards and successes for bands led by Mr. Dick are far too numerous to place in this small box, but this is certainly going to be an incredible interview with a lot of great information for those listeners that have a distinct interest in music, and for the casual listener, as well. Mr. Dick will discuss...
Mar 17, 2020•1 hr 4 min
If you've listened to the first two episodes of the Tale Lights Podcast, you know exactly what Coach Tommy Bludau and Coach Mike Williamson had to say about the importance of junior high football in terms of their successes. I have maintained a great relationship with "Coach O" over the years. He brought a level of passion and excitement to school (and athletics) that can only be found in a young coach. While he no longer coaches, he is still teaching science. From growing up in Brackettville, T...
Mar 14, 2020•43 min
Richard Herbst was born and raised in Boerne, Texas. In his basketball coaching career, he amassed a record of 699-336 After a brief stint in Texas Public Education, Coach Herbst went on to coach men's and women's basketball at the collegiate level. Coach Herbst was an assistant at Colorado State University, the head men's coach at Schreiner College (now Schreiner University) the head men's coach at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and returned to Schreiner as the athletic director and head...
Mar 13, 2020•1 hr 30 min
Join me as we hop in the truck of current George West ISD Athletic Director and Head Football Coach, Brent Kornegay. We will be talking Devine, Llano, Orange Grove, Yoakum, and George West. What it's like coaching in your hometown. We talk about college at Texas Lutheran University, the importance of coaching junior high first, and some of the most fun we had was talking about the Yoakum-Cuero rivalry, and so much more. Coach Kornegay is an outstanding athletic director and with over 115 wins as...
Feb 17, 2020•41 min
Floyd Ciruti grew up in Baytown, Texas. He went to college at Sam Houston State University, where he was an All-American Center Fielder. After his playing days were behind him, he continued his passion for the game of baseball by becoming the head baseball coach of the Wharton Tigers. Leading the Tigers to the State Tournament, more than 500 wins, and the playoffs more than 25 times in 33 years, Coach Ciruti was able to build a Hall of Fame coaching resume, while being a great husband and father...
Jan 03, 2020•49 min
Walt Wendtland grew up in Rosenberg, Texas, and went on to play baseball for Wharton County Junior College and Mississippi State, prior to taking a position as a teacher and coach in Bay City, Texas. Coach Wendtland went on to an administrative career that involved stops at Lamar Consolidated and Yoakum, prior to returning to Bay City and finishing his career as the principal of Bay City High School. These days you can find Coach Wendtland on a fishing boat in Matagorday Bay, or teeing off at th...
Jan 01, 2020•35 min
In this episode I sit down with Boerne - Samuel V. Champion Head Baseball Coach, Chuck Foster. We start off in Pampa and head out to Odessa during his childhood, before moving on to the Houston suburb of Deer Park, San Jacinto College, Clemson University, and then a return home to coach all kinds of sports back at Deer Park. In 2002, Chuck Foster would make a big move into the head coaching world and take over the helm of the Boerne Greyhounds, where in 2004 they would capture the UIL Class 4A C...
Dec 24, 2019•1 hr 10 min
We reach back to humble beginnings in Carlsbad, New Mexico, to a career as the Head Football Coach at Odessa High, San Antonio Marshall, and Dickinson, all the way to becoming an athletic administrator with Round Rock and NISD, we cover it all! The name of Coach Dub Farris is easily recognizable because of the thousands of people that fill Farris Stadium on a regular basis, not to mention the many that drive by the beautiful facility (located along 1604 in San Antonio) on a daily basis. It was a...
Sep 30, 2019•57 min
