By Moses Leos III

Whether watching a game on television, or catching one in person, sports is the lifeblood for Casey and Diana (Dede) Pinckard of Buda. 

The couple’s love of sports goes beyond watching it from afar. Casey and Dede played sports in high school and college. Their children, Brianna, Brooks and Brayden, now follow in those footsteps, continuing the sports legacy.

Casey also followed his father’s footsteps, playing little league ball in the small town of Gonzalez, Texas. He took up the sport like his dad, who played college ball at Texas Lutheran University (TLU) in Seguin.

As he grew up, Casey’s passion for baseball also grew. It continued through high school and college at Texas Lutheran, where he was a three-year letter winner at third base.  

Dede’s sports background did not go as deep — neither of her parents played. That didn’t stop Dede. According to Casey, her athleticism tops his own, which he says continues to this day. 

“She’s a way better athlete than I was,” Casey said. “She had an athletic ability. The kids got their work ethic from her. She’s a workout freak.” 

That determination helped her excel on the track and hardwood at Alamo Heights, culminating in winning the 4A state triple jump championship. She eventually took her basketball talents to TLU. 

It was there they first met. Sports, of course, became the backdrop; they met following a TLU women’s basketball game against Texas Christian University. 

“A roommate of mine said, ‘let’s go watch Dede play.’ I saw her and met her after the game,” Casey said. “That was in the fall; in the spring we started dating. We were married two years later.” 

Once their children were old enough, Dede and Casey allowed them to play sports. Like their father before them, all chose the baseball diamond. 

“It was nice,” Casey said. “But I hoped they would enjoy sports, whatever it was.” 

They noticed two of their children held the same fervent passion that drove them to success. 

The Pinckard patriarch noticed it when Brooks and Brayden hit middle school. Both were unfazed by experienced competition. They pushed their parents to help them practice and train more often. 

“Not only were they one of the better players, but I also saw they loved [the game],” Casey said. “I noticed as the kids got older, playing against good players wasn’t that big of a deal to them.” 

The progression continued into high school, when Brayden and Brooks diverged into other sports. 

Practice and game schedules, however, took the Pinckards by surprise. Casey said summers were often hectic, mostly due to summer showcases and leagues — a far cry from the 15 summer games he played at their age. 

Whatever the sport, and whenever it took place, one constant remained. 

“I told them to have fun; don’t try to get a college scholarship,” Casey said. “Play to enjoy the sport and the rest will come. If it doesn’t that’s okay.” 

What Casey and Dede instilled allowed their children to thrive. 

Brayden graduated in 2013 from Hays having helped the Rebel Softball team claim the state championship. She earned a scholarship to become a third generation TLU athlete. 

Brooks graduated from Hays in 2007 as a multi-sport standout, excelling on the football field, track and the baseball diamond. He took his career to Baylor, where he was a three-year letter winner in the outfield and on the mound. Brooks now is pitching in the Cincinnati Reds organization. 

The eldest, Brianna, didn’t participate in sports in high school, but held a passion for it. As the Rebel mascot for four years, she was often scolded when she was caught watching football games. 

Her passion continues as a die-hard fan of her alma mater, TCU. 

While the Pinckard family is off living their lives, sports continue to tie the bonds between them. It often leads to a baseball being tossed around.

“We play catch all the time,” Casey said. “When Brooks was in town before spring training, the Reds wanted him throwing. At 51, that’s not easy. I bounced the ball a few times.” 

It also leads to stories from the glory days of yore. From Dede besting boys as a child in basketball, to Casey being a part of the Texas Lutheran team that beat Texas and Roger Clemens — it all points to one thing: the love of the game. 

“It’s cool when Bradyen likes hearing about her grandpa’s time [at TLU] — what it was like then and now,” Casey said. “We spend a lot of time talking about old times.”