by JASON GORDON
The only head coach Hays High School has ever known walked off the Clemens High football field after Friday night’s playoff loss to Kerrville Tivy. He kissed his wife Beverly and his daughter Megan before hugging his grandkids.
Bob Shelton, the only head football coach Hays High School has ever known, announced his retirement after his team's playoff loss to Kerrville Tivy Friday night at Clemens High School. PHOTO by MARY STONE
The tears that began welling up among Shelton’s family members and longtime assistant coaches weren’t the kind you’d normally expect, even after a season-ending defeat.
Then with five simple words, Shelton summed up the moment.
“This is it for me,” Shelton said.
After coaching football at the same school longer than anyone in Texas history, Shelton decided to call it a career. He will step down as the school’s head football coach and athletic director in the next few weeks.
He has coached at Hays since it opened in 1968, and at Buda High school four years before that.
“I knew this would be difficult, but it’s just time,” Shelton said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
Shelton, who led Hays to the Class 4A Division I state championship game in 1996, made the announcement to a locker room full of his varsity players shortly after the game ended.
“I’ll still be there watching you play,” Shelton said. “I’ll always be a Rebel.”
Shelton, who was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 2002, finishes his career with 507 games coached, second all time in the state behind G.A. Moore. He is one of only eight coaches in Texas history to win 300 career games. Shelton’s career record is 313-187-7.
While his number of wins and the fact Hays had a streak of 23 non-losing seasons that lasted until 2009 is impressive, Shelton meant more to the Hays community than wins and losses.
On Friday nights, Rebel games became an event.
The stadium they named after Shelton in 1996 was unquestionably one of the best places to watch a high school football game in Central Texas. Few stadiums matched the energy level Shelton Stadium could generate on a crisp October evening during the heart of a district season.
“It’s hard to measure what he’s meant to our community,” said Moe Johnson, who was the Hays CISD superintendent from 1967-84. “The program at Hays High School has had a great reputation for a long time, and Bobby’s been the one leading it.”
Johnson continued to sing Shelton’s praises.
“Both of my sons played for Coach Shelton, and I knew I never had to worry about them because he was teaching them the right things,” Johnson said. “When your kids played for him you could always count on the fact he’s going to treat them with class. If anyone ever asked me about Coach Shelton that’s what I would tell them – he’s a class act.”
School board vice president Mark Jones has been to all but five of Hays’ games since it opened more than four decades ago.
“He’s obviously given us a lot of stability,” Jones said. “He ran a clean program and he always tried to teach his players poise, integrity and the value of hard work. It will definitely be strange not seeing him down there on the sidelines anymore.”
Former Hays All-State quarterback David Evans agreed it’s hard to believe Shelton won’t be coaching the Rebels next season.
“My father, brother and uncles all played for Coach Shelton,” Evans said. “He meant so much to everyone. He was a like a second father to a lot of his players.”
Former Hays running back Grant Coffey agreed.
“He’s been our foundation at Hays,” Coffey said. “It was a real privilege to play for one of the elite coaches in the state.”
Steve Hardaway, the All-State running back who rushed for 2,200 yards and 32 touchdowns for the Rebels in 1994, said playing for Shelton at Hays was a lifelong dream.
“Coach Shelton is the face of Hays High School,” Hardaway said. “It was always a dream of mine to be a Rebel football player. The thing I remember most about him is he was always cool, calm and collected. I have a five-year old son now and I wish he would have had the chance to play for Coach Shelton.”
Hays senior defensive lineman Austin Reyes said Shelton’s announcement took him by surprise.
“It was a great honor to play for Coach Shelton,” Reyes said. “He is an amazing coach and my teammates and I will cherish the memories we made as Rebel football players.”
After Shelton’s announcement he and his assistant coaches huddled with players and performed their traditional post-game chants one last time as a group.
“It’s been wonderful to coach under someone who taught us about the important things in life,” said Hays offensive coordinator Chris Smith. “He’s not only a great coach but a great man.”
Hays CISD superintendent Dr. Jeremy Lyon said Shelton has made quite an impression on him during his two years with the district.
“You hear about the legend of Coach Bob Shelton,” Lyon said. “But you could not find a more genuine and kind person. He’s so well respected and I think that speaks volumes about how he’s been able to be successful at the same place for 43 years.”
Lyon said there has been no timetable set on a search for Shelton’s replacement.
