Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Honoring a former coach

November 18, 2019 5:02 PM

The first thing you noticed when walking into Don Coleman Coliseum the evening of November 14 was that there were a lot of tall people standing on the concourse in front a red fabric-draped shape next to a podium.

These tall people were former basketball players from Memorial High School who played for Coach Don Coleman during his 30 years at the school. They came to honor the coach who had made such a positive impact on lives of hundreds of young men, and to witness the unveiling of a full-sized bronze of him installed in the Don Coleman Coliseum.

The sculpture was commissioned by his son Brandon Coleman, with financial support from several former players. The artist, Larry Schuekler, created a dynamic likeness of Coach Coleman animatedly pointing down court, with his tie flying, and shouting, “Go!”

This action-oriented image was very familiar to the family, friends and former players of Coach Coleman.

“Whenever the ball went through the net, he would immediately gesture for you to start running to the other end of the court on defense,” said several different players.

When asked to describe their former coach, these words came to mind from former players Jerry Kroll and Dave Magden: fundamental, intense, passionate, dedicated, loyal, persistent, integrity, honest.

Some uncommon words the coach used were also remembered. “He would shout some words and phrases that were not normal for most coaches,” said Michael Harder, a player on the 1978-1982 MHS teams. “He would shout things like, ‘Poise!’ ‘Patience!’ and ‘Belly up,’ referring to a style of playing defense.”

Under Coach Coleman’s tutelage, the MHS Mustangs qualified for state four times, including a state championship in 1966. From 1964 to 1971, Memorial won 81 consecutive district games. The Mustangs had 26 consecutive seasons of 20 or more victories and 10 seasons of more than 30 victories. They had a single season of 42 wins.

Coach Coleman has been inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Game and the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor and had 893 total career victories, among the nation’s best.

Alan Sadler served as a student team manager on Coach Coleman’s 1965-67 teams. He especially admired coach’s half-time motivations. “He had a simple way of getting everybody focused, and emphasized the need to ‘pull together to make this work’,” said Sadler.

As a testament to the influence of the coach’s style and character, Sadler said he served in the Army for 26 years, and frequently recalled Coleman’s half-time talks whenever he needed to motivate his troops.

Speaking to the legendary coach at the sculpture-unveiling event, Spring Branch ISD Superintendent Jennifer Blaine summed up the sentiments in the room: