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We’ll See You at Coaching School

Coaching school 2026

Twenty years. That's how long we've made the trip to THSCA Coaching School, and we are not about to break the streak now.

The 94th Annual Texas High School Coaches Association Coaching School and Convention runs July 19 through July 21 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, and it is the biggest gathering of coaches in the country. More than 18,000 coaches, athletic directors, and administrators pour into downtown Houston for three days of clinics, rules meetings, and the kind of hallway conversations that shape entire programs.

Lone Star Gridiron and the Lone Star Podcast Network will be right there in the middle of it, like we have been for over 20 consecutive years.

What we're doing on the ground

Two things are keeping us busy this year.

First, we are recording episodes of the THSCA podcast, The Coaches Call, straight from the convention floor. If you have listened before, you know the drill: real talk with the people building Texas high school athletics, no filler.

Second, we are shooting team preview videos with head coaches from every sport. Football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track, cross country, wrestling, golf, tennis, powerlifting: if you coach it, we want to feature your program heading into the season. These previews get your team in front of the fans, parents, and recruits who follow our network, and they take just a few minutes of your time in Houston.

Coaches, get on the schedule here: 👉 https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/ZR8dGO432JhUAalhyGSw

Slots fill fast once we hit the floor, so lock in your spot before you head to Houston. But if you cannot fit it into your Coaching School schedule, fear not. We will be scheduling team preview zoom interviews as well. Simply text TEAM PREVIEW to 713-269-4620 if you are the head coach in any sport.

The schedule at a glance

Here is how the week lays out. All sessions are at the George R. Brown Convention Center unless noted, and remember the association requires professional dress.

Saturday, July 18 (today):

  • 12:00 to 3:00 pm: Early badge printing and materials pickup for pre-registered attendees (2nd Floor)
  • 1:00 pm: THSCA Board of Directors Meeting (invitation only)
  • 6:30 pm: THSCA Hall of Honor Banquet, Grand Ballroom (ticketed)

Sunday, July 19 (opening day for sessions):

  • 7:30 am to 4:30 pm: Registration, Career Center, and THSCA Office open (2nd Floor)
  • 7:30 am to 4:30 pm: Exhibits open, Hall A3/B3 (3rd Floor)
  • 10:00 am to 4:00 pm: Sport-specific clinics, rules CCP courses, and court and turf demos across every classification and every sport
  • 4:15 to 5:00 pm: Coaches of Girls Sports Forum, Rm 310
  • 4:30 to 5:45 pm: Texas FBS Head Football Coaches Forum, Grand Ballroom AB
  • 5:45 to 6:45 pm: Hospitality Hour and Chalk Talk, including the Texas Tech Football Chalk Talk

Monday, July 20:

  • 7:30 am to 4:30 pm: Registration and Career Center open (2nd Floor)
  • 7:30 am to 4:30 pm: Exhibits open (3rd Floor)
  • 8:00 am to 3:00 pm: Full slate of clinics, demos, and UIL CCP courses across all sports
  • 3:45 to 5:00 pm: THSCA Regional Meetings (Regions 1 through 8)
  • 5:00 to 6:30 pm: Networking receptions, including Celebration of Women in Sports, Baseball/Softball at Daikin Park, and Soccer at Shell Energy Stadium
  • 7:10 pm: Texas High School Coaches Night at the Astros vs. Marlins game, Daikin Park

Tuesday, July 21 (final day):

  • 7:00 to 8:30 am: FCA Breakfast, Marriott Marquis (ticketed)
  • 7:30 am to noon: THSCA Office, Career Center, and Exhibits open
  • 8:30 to 10:30 am: Final morning clinic sessions, including Joey McGuire of Texas Tech in the Grand Ballroom
  • 9:30 to 11:00 am: Wives Coffee, Marriott Marquis
  • 11:00 am to 1:00 pm: General Meeting and President-Elect vote, Grand Ballroom

Football fans, the coaching lineup this year is loaded: Will Muschamp from Texas, Jake Spavital from Baylor, Holmon Wiggins from Texas A&M, Joey McGuire and the Texas Tech staff, plus high school Coaches of the Year across every sport. Check the full agenda at thsca.com for exact rooms and times, since the association updates it right up to the doors opening.

Tonight: the Hall of Honor Banquet

Before the clinics ever start, the week opens with the one that hits closest to home for us. The THSCA Hall of Honor Banquet, sponsored by Balfour, is tonight at 6:30 pm in the Grand Ballroom of the George R. Brown Convention Center. It is the association's highest tribute, and this year's room is stacked with people who gave their all to Texas kids.

One of them is a good friend of ours. Ricky Prine is this year's Curly Hays Award winner, THSCA's top honor for a retired official who has given 20 or more years to Texas officiating, athletics, and athletes. Nobody who has worked a Friday night with Ricky will be surprised. He has earned every bit of it. Congratulations, Ricky. We are proud of you.

Here is who is being recognized tonight.

2026 Hall of Honor inductees:

  • Robert Brown: Nearly 40 years teaching and coaching football, track, and baseball in Houston ISD, now Chair of the Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association
  • Steven Cerny: Built Shiner ISD into a small-school powerhouse from 1988 to 2019, winning state titles across football, baseball, and softball and three Lone Star Cups
  • Mike Hedrick: A 44-year head coach with 307 career wins, just the 11th coach in state history to reach 300, including a return to coach his alma mater in Franklin
  • John King: Head football coach and athletic director at Longview, 230-plus wins, 17 district titles, and the Lobos' 6A state championship in 2018
  • Weldon Nelms: 33 years as a head coach with a 242-154-3 record, two state championships, and 13 district titles across programs like Wimberley, Iowa Park, and Glen Rose
  • Dennis Parker: A five-decade career that included the 1990 5A state title at Marshall and becoming the youngest head coach in Texas 5A history at age 24
  • Johnny Ringo: Head coaching stops at Uvalde, Irving MacArthur, Coppell, and Plano East, plus THSCA President in 2012-13 and a spot among MaxPreps' Top 100 High School Coaches

Special awards:

  • Curly Hays Award (retired official): Ricky Prine
  • Tom Landry Award: Oscar Wilson, longtime Longview assistant head coach and running backs coach
  • Putt Powell Sportswriter of the Year: Jack Stallard, sports editor of the Longview News-Journal, just the fourth East Texas writer ever to earn it
  • Coaching Beyond the Game Award: John King

If you see the Lone Star Gridiron cameras rolling, or staff wandering around, stop and say hey. Whether you want to shoot a team preview, or just talk shop about the upcoming season, our door is open all three days.

To every coach making the trip: have a safe drive, take care of yourself in that Houston heat, and soak up everything Coaching School has to offer. This is the best three days on the calendar for our profession, and we are proud to keep showing up for it.

Get on our schedule:👉 https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/ZR8dGO432JhUAalhyGSw

Have a great Coaching School, everybody. We'll see you in Houston.

Chris Doelle

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