ABILENE, TX — High school football reigns king in Texas. Communities come together on Friday nights to root on their favorite team. But in our area of nearly 70 high school football teams, only one has a black head coach; Bobby Campbell at Ranger.
Last year there was another black head coach; Aaron Ashford at Class 1A Trent. Ashford has also coached at Paint Creek and Throckmorton and says being a black coach in the Big Country is not easy. “There are things that go on with us that you know, we don’t bring to our families because it would be too much.”
At Abilene High, their co-offensive coordinator Jerale Badon, knows that there are not a lot of black coaches, but doesn’t want that to affect his coaching style. “I mean it’s always in the back of your mind but you don’t want to have that influence on how you coach kids,” said Badon. “I think it comes down to just the fairness and love, not just what we can give the kids by our race or by our color.”
One of the players that works with Badon is senior wide receiver Jeshari Houston. Houston knows that seeing more black coaches in our area would mean a lot. “It’s a small town and everybody knows everybody, so seeing a black head coach or more black assistant coaches, coordinators, offensive coordinators, defensive coordinators, that’s huge in this city because we don’t have many,” said Houston. “So that would make this city really appreciate that.”
Badon and Ashford both say they don’t want coaches hired just because they are black, but a fair shot. “Give the men and women the opportunities to interview, come back for that second, third interview, to meet the parents, meet the athletes,” said Ashford. “We need that sincere opportunity.”
