Coach Mike Vallery speaks to Rotarians on KHS football

Sammy D. York, Rotary president, right, presents a book to Coach Mike Vallery, left, for speaking to Rotary. Vallery discussed the upcoming football season as well as past players who are doing well at Division 1 schools. Mike Vallery, head football coach for the Kilgore High School Bulldogs, was the guest speaker for the Kilgore Rotary Club on Wednesday.

Coach Vallery spoke about the upcoming football team as well as some of the past players who have gone on to Division 1 schools and are doing well.

He thanked the Rotary Club for their dedication to the children of Kilgore. Rotarians joined a host of other residents in donating a large chunk of money to allow needy children to have a new pair of shoes and socks going into the school year. The Rotary Club accounted for around half of the donations.

Vallery said the upcoming team is senior-dominated and should be pretty good. He is expecting good things from the team but, in typical Vallery fashion, refused to rank Kilgore against its district opponents.

He did say, however, that Kilgore has the potential to do very well if things come together. He said the team is working hard despite a small rash of injuries, the coaches are, as usual, working very hard to create a winning environment and things are progressing well toward the season opener a week from Friday.

Vallery also said the new indoor practice facility has been a blessing for the team as well as other units such as the band. He said the wet weather has not stopped Kilgore from practicing because they have the indoor facility, and he said he has received calls asking for other area teams to use Kilgore's stadium and indoor facility because their fields were not in good condition for practice due to rain, etc…

He said the facility will be used by sports teams, girls and boys, when weather does not allow them to practice in their usual location. The facility can be curtained off into three or four separate practice areas so that, if needed, soccer, baseball, softball and tennis could all work out at the same time in the facility.

Vallery said one of the things he has wanted to do since he came to Kilgore is make sure the facilities are the best they can be for the athletes. If the facilities allow them to have every opportunity to excel, then the rewards will come with victories and opportunities for students to go to college on scholarship.

He also said Kilgore athletes are recruited because colleges know they will qualify on their test scores. He said a good number of athletes have already received offers from colleges before school even starts because they have already qualified by passing the ACT test with the required score. Vallery praised the KHS teaching faculty for doing a good job and making sure students are ready for the tests they need to take to go to the next level.

Vallery said he has been asked when he is going to retire, and he said as long as he is having fun, winning a few games and enjoying his job he will continue to coach at Kilgore. Some thought he would retire following the 2004 state championship run, but he said all that did was make him want to work as hard or harder to win another.

The coach said he enjoys Kilgore and, although he does not get out to community functions because he is either at the fieldhouse or spending time with his wife and family, he wants Kilgore to know he appreciates the support for him and the football team.

He also talked about past athletes, including Eddie Jones, Clint Toon, Wayne Daniels and a bunch more, listing their accomplishments and how they are doing in college.

B.J. Owen was introduced as Public Servant of the Month. Owen is Director of Special Services for the City of Kilgore and performs countless duties from restaurant inspections to animal control. He also oversees the city's building and facilities maintenance crew.

In other Rotary news, Debbie Dudley and K Castles were appreciated for getting donations for the shoe program and going over to the First Baptist Church along with Jerry Camp and a few others to work on Tuesday.

Linda Clayton, Administrative Professional with General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, was introduced as a new member of the club.

Bob Baker, longtime Rotarians, said goodbye this week. He is moving to the Metroplex to teach classes at dental college.

This Wednesday Amanda Nobles, from Kilgore Economic Development Corporation, will be the guest speaker.

Kilgore Rotary Club meets each Wednesday at noon in the ballroom of the Meadowbrook Country Club. Guests are always welcome.