At a very well attended special school board meeting, Early ISD welcomed new Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Kent Hawthorne from Refugio on Friday evening. Parents, teachers, and athletes were present to get to know the new coach.
After a short executive session, the EISD board of trustees unanimously decided to hire Hawthorne and welcomed him to the community. EISD superintendent Brett Koch thanked the 8 member committee who he stated worked tirelessly to find the new athletic director/coach.
“This committee worked hard to get the right guy for the job and we think this is him,” said Koch. “This decision is not superintendent driven, but rather a decision made by the committee, to get the right person for EISD to represent EISD and to be a role model.”
Hawthorne and his wife Cris stated that they are very excited to come to Early and be back in West Texas. Mrs. Hawthore is originally from Alpine, and Hawthorne was raised in many places being the son of a coach himself. They are the parents of three children; their oldest son plays football for Texas State University, another son plays for Baylor and their daughter is going to graduate from Refugio in May of this year.
Hawthorne will begin work on March 18th, after spring break. Mrs. Hawthorne is a math teacher and will begin a position at one of the district’s campuses next fall.
Hawthorne comes from a championship background having won three as a player in college and being a part of the state championship coaching team in Refugio in 2011. He sports two large championship rings that the Early players noticed at the meeting. One eighth grader, Hayden Clark, was looking at the rings and stated his desire to one day earn a state championship ring. Hawthorne replied, “Then let’s go get one.”
“I’m hoping that’s what we do; we’re going to go at it 100 miles per hour. We love kids and we have high expectations of kids. Seeing these kids here at the meeting, I am humbled they are here on a Friday night, especially beginning spring break, to meet me,” said Hawthorne. “It’ll be a lot of fun; we’re excited to get to work.”
Hawthorne told the audience that the goal is to win district and take it as far as the kids can go.
“Get the popcorn ready,” said Hawthorne as he explained his coaching style of no huddle aggressive defense that he plans to bring to Early High School. “We’re going to turn everything around as fast as we can. We’ll build some confidence and get after it. I want it now, and we are going to work to get into the playoffs.”
Hawthorne has a wide range of coaching experience including football, basketball, track, softball, baseball, and strength/conditioning over his approximately 27 years as well as teaching industrial technology and driver’s education.
Hawthorne, held the position of co-defensive coordinator at Refugio High School, the 2011 2A Division State Champion (15-0 record) and 2012 State Regional Finalist (12-1 record). Prior to his time at Refugio, Hawthorne served as the athletic director and head football coach of Weimar ISD (also class 2A), overseeing all high school and junior high athletic programs as well as the physical education program for both boys and girls.
Between the years of 2003-2008, he established a winning record at Cumby High School (class 1A) as AD and head football coach. After a 12 year absence of football in the district, he reintroduced the program at the varsity level in 2003. Hawthorne also coached/taught at McCamey ISD and Brownfield ISD.
Hawthorne stated that he looks at coaching as a long range investment in his athletes.
“I look at ten years down the road. If I do my job, these athletes will become productive citizens, good husbands, then I know I have done a good job at building young kids into productive citizens,” he said.
When asked if he will be bringing any coaches with him, Hawthorne stated that his decisions have not been made, but that he was told he could bring one coach to the EHS staff.
“I’m going to have to see what I need here,” said Hawthorne in respect to what positions are needed. He stated that he loves coaching offense, although his last position was defensive line coach and head track coach.
Hawthorne stated that his wife Cris will also be a great asset to Early because she is an accomplished math teacher and has had great success with helping kids that struggle in math.
The Early High School Booster Club welcomed the Hawthornes by presenting them with purple EHS Longhorn shirts and a hat for Coach Hawthorne.
“I have been around coaching and athletics my whole life; it is what drives me and motivates me to compete, and to encourage positive, winning competition in all athletes,” said Coach Hawthorne.
Pictured above is Coach Hawthorne and wife Cris.
8th grader Hayden Clark meets Coach Hawthorne and is encouraged to win a championship ring of his own.
Early Longhorn Booster Club officers welcome the Hawthornes with Longhorn shirts and a hat for the coach.
