While making his way to the 2014 UIL state basketball tournament, Joshua Kirkland never forgot how “gorgeous” the Kyle and Buda area were to him.
“I told my wife, ‘If I get the opportunity to come here to work, I’ll take it,’” Kirkland said. “It has everything you want to do.”
Three years later, Kirkland was sure to made good on that promise.
On Thursday, Kirkland was officially hired as the third head coach and athletic coordinator at Lehman High. His hiring, which was approved by the Hays CISD board of trustees during a special called meeting, fills the void left by Todd Raymond, who left to take the athletic director role at Pflugerville ISD.
The focus now lies on preparing a Lobo football team that’s won only four games in three seasons. Kirkland has wasted little time on this undertaking.
“I’m really excited to be here and I’m fired up about where we’re headed,” Kirkland said.
Kirkland was at his El Paso home when he got the call from Hays CISD officials regarding his hiring.
While he knew his name was being brought before the board of trustees, Kirkland didn’t know what to expect.
Once he got the word he was the new coach, Kirkland didn’t waste time in readying himself for the job.
By 7 a.m. the next morning, Kirkland informed his previous team at El Paso Parkland High of his decision to leave. By 10:30 a.m. that day, Kirkland had turned in his gear to Parkland, picked up his wife and children in their car and traveled the 10-hour trip to Kyle.
“I was ready,” Kirkland said. “It’s May 8, so we’re behind and I had to get here and get rolling.”
From the moment he met his new football team and athletics program staff, Kirkland stressed his focus on building character in athletes. He said the Lobo football team was attentive and excited about what Kirkland was bringing.
That mentality was forged during his time as an assistant at Daingerfield High in far northeast Texas before going to El Paso.
“You focus on the inside of the child and if you get those things right, the outside takes care of itself ... You try to intrinsically make kids into better people. You try to use athletics to make better men and women.”
Joshua Kirkland, new Lobo athletic director
A high-energy, “energetic and very positive” approach is what Kirkland also brings to the table. Kirkland said he’s often seen “running around practice,” and at times, will “jump in the drill” with students.
Kirkland proved that point when he raced a student while pushing prowler sleds on Lobo Field last week.
“I told him, if you beat me, you’re good. They looked at me like I had lost my mind,” Kirkland said. “They seemed to enjoy it. It’s one of those deals where I won’t ask them to do something I can’t do.”
Kirkland is also meeting with coaches individually, where he’s giving them an idea of what he’s expecting.
He said he’s looking at who’s currently working at Lehman and looking at what’s needed.
Strategy on the field could center on the run game, which Kirkland found success at while at Parkland. Focusing on what the Lobos can do, and not on anyone else in the district, is the key.
“We’re going to focus on what we do and use getting better and not focusing on who we’re going to see,” he said.
