By John Loop
Staff Writer

Many Coppell coaches take pride in teaching their interest in sports to the many student athletes at Coppell High School. These strong passions for their respective games are attributed to their careers in high school and college sports.

One of these coaches is varsity football coach Kody Groves.

“It is more than about football,” Groves said. “It is about teaching them the right way to live life. There are lots of life lessons in football.”

Groves played cornerback football at Odessa Permian High School from 1994-96, the same position he has coached for the Coppell Cowboys the past three years. Permian also played for the state championship in 1995, a team he was excited to be a part of and which he names among his greatest accomplishments.

Coaching is not just about winning, but building successful, personal relationships between coaches and players. This is part of the reason that Groves was inspired to go into the coaching profession.

“I wanted to coach because I looked up to many of the coaches that I played for. I was lucky enough to get to coach with some of them after I graduated college,” Groves said.

Groves coached with favorite middle school coaches Vance Washington and Dan Swaim at Midlothian High School, as well as his high school defensive coordinator while he played at Permian, Randy Quisenberry. Quisenberry hired Groves to be his defensive backs coach when he was the head coach at Midland Lee.

Groves has coached at one junior high school, Abell Junior High in Midland, for one year, and three high schools, Midlothian High School for one year, Midland Lee High School for four years, and is in his third year at Coppell High School this year.

From an athlete’s perspective, coaches can be among one of the most influential figures in their lives, almost becoming like a life guide for them.

“Coaches are mentors who inspire us as athletes to get motivated to serve our purpose not only in our sports, but in our lives as well,” sophomore and CHS track team member Haley Smith said.

The coaching is not always directed toward the guys wearing shoulder pads or carrying bats.  There are other groups contributing to the game atmosphere at CHS sporting events. One of these is the cheerleading squad.

“The cheerleaders here are very talented and perform very difficult overall performances,” junior varsity cheer coach Kelly Young said. “When it all comes together after the practices and determination they put into it, it is very rewarding and makes me feel proud.”

Young was on the cheer squad at Lake Dallas High School, but did not continue on to cheer in college, However, that did not dissuade her from wanting to pursue her interests in cheerleading after she graduated from college.

“I remembered how much fun I had [being a cheerleader] and wanted to provide that opportunity for girls in high school now,” Young said.