Football: Coaches across West Texas welcome Gaines back into the fold
The shock waves were not limited to the city limits when ECISD athletic director Leon Fuller announced Monday that he would be recommending former Permian coach Gary Gaines as the Panthers' new coach on Thursday.
Former colleagues and future opponents all started the same way when contacted about the move: "Really?"
Yes, coach, really.
Gaines, he of "Friday Night Lights" fame and two years at the helm of the ECISD's athletic department, will return to the Permian Basin from Lubbock ISD, where he has been the district's AD the past two years.
"You gotta be kidding me," said Monahans coach Mickey Owens, who worked under Gaines on the Loboes' staff in 1984 and 1985. "That's a helluva move.
"There is no way they could have done better than that. He's a good football coach and his record speaks for him, but he's a better man and he's going to be great for the program."
That was the second sentiment echoed by the coaching community after the announcement, that the Panthers had brought not only a great coach but a true leader back into the fold.
Abilene High coach Steve Warren, who worked closely with Gaines when Gaines was the head coach at Abilene Chrisitan University, is very excited about the news.
"He is a great, great football coach and it's exciting for him to be back in high school football," said Warren, who was an assistant under Gaines for two years at Abilene High before assuming the head coach's position when Gaines left for San Angelo Central. "We need coaches like him in high school football.
"I think Permian will be great behind him and won't miss a beat. I would go out and talk with him when he was in ACU and we've stayed in touch."
Even the coaching staffs that have to face the Panthers in District 2-5A competition every Friday night were congratulating Permian on the hire, while at the same time wondering just what it does to their chances for success.
"It's a great hire for them, obviously," Odessa High coach Ron King said. "Someone told me about it earlier in the day and I thought he was crazy, but he wasn't.
"I didn't expect it, but I understand why they went that way."
Brad Thiessen, the coach of the Amarillo Sandies, had dealt with Gaines before on an administrative level as scheduling issues were worked out.
Now he's looking forward to getting to know Gaines on the coaching level, as well.
"He's a class guy and he'll do a great job for them I'm sure," Thiessen said. "But this is not good for the rest of us."
Just 20 miles to the east, Midland High coach Craig Yenzer was talking with his team when the news came that Gaines was rejoining the day-to-day grind of the coaching ranks.
After letting the news digest for a few minutes, Yenzer continued to shower the praise on the Panthers' newest staff member.
"I'm happy for Gary and a little surprised because I hadn't heard his name thrown out there," Yenzer said. "I have a lot of respect for him, he's blazed a trail and I know that Gary's going to continue the Permian tradition.
"He's well respected, not only as a coach, but his integrity is awesome. One thing for sure is that he's been through the wars and is a great Xs and Os coach. It just raises the level of coaching in West Texas to another level and you had better be prepared or just the coaching will beat your butt each week."
