New Katy Schools

[Spartan1]

I realize it will be a couple of years before the newest Katy school, Seven Lakes, has a varsity team. It's still up the air until re-alignment if they will even play 5A ball. My son will be attending next year.
My question is, what do you guys think of Coach O'Keefe? It sounds like he has a pretty impressive track record, taking Hightower fairly deep in the playoffs their first varsity year.
Thoughts...

[Rerun]

How many damn schools is Katy gonna open up? I thought Katy was "small" suburb of Houston. With like 7 high schools they aint small by any means.

[dada]

I realize it will be a couple of years before the newest Katy school, Seven Lakes, has a varsity team. It's still up the air until re-alignment if they will even play 5A ball. My son will be attending next year.
My question is, what do you guys think of Coach O'Keefe? It sounds like he has a pretty impressive track record, taking Hightower fairly deep in the playoffs their first varsity year.
Thoughts...
I played for Coach O'Keefe when he was an assistant under Mike Sciba at Elsik. GREAT GUY...GREAT COACH. I think he set the standard at Hightower when it first opened a few years back. Also I THINK he coached at either Northbrook or Spring Woods for a little bit before going to Hightower. Your son is in good hands.

[SmilinTiger]

How many damn schools is Katy gonna open up? I thought Katy was "small" suburb of Houston. With like 7 high schools they aint small by any means.

Katy, the town, population about 10,000, only has one....Katy High School. KISD, the school district, is fairly large and encompasses a wide area.

[KT2000]

I think Katy ISD has around 75,000 students overall (and growing). See poster above abouit town of Katy number. Katy ISD occupies a much larger area than you'd think by looking at a map.

[Fleeman93]

Old Katy may have around 10K, but that isn't all that Katy is these days. I bet the number of Katy addresses is close to 150K.

[kttigersrock]

There are currently 6 high schools in the Katy ISD.

The Katy area has exploded as the main suburb west of Houston since the early 1980's, and especially in the last 10 years. I think I read where estimates of the 'Katy area' set the population at around 200,000+.

The 'town' of Katy is about 10-12,000 population, and home of Katy High School. Many of the nearby 'suburb' neighborhoods, as well as the city limits, feed Katy High.

Katy-Taylor High (Mustangs) opened in 1980.

Katy-Mayde Creek HS (Rams) opened in about 1985-86

Katy-Cinco Ranch (Cougars) has been open about 5 years

Katy-Morton Ranch (Mavericks) opened a year ago and will start varsity play next year.

Katy-Seven Lakes (Spartans) opened this year and (I think) starts varsity play in 2007.

Having grown up in Katy, when Katy was the only school (and 3A at the time) - times sure have changed!!!!

Regarding the new coach at Seven Lakes - I hear is a very good man and does a good job with the kids. He was there at the beginning and built a good program at Hightower. I think you guys will do fine over time.

[Spartan1]

I was on the rezoning committee for Seven Lakes, and from what I heard, within 10 years there will be one, possibly two new high schools! :eek:
Oh, and also a new stadium!

[KatyHighCO04]

My mom was on the rezoning comittee as well, and she told me the same thing, Katy is growing at a scary rate. In fact when I first moved out there (95 or so) I could hunt on the land that is now Seven Lakes High School, and none of the current neighborhoods that are zoned to the school had even been bought by the developers yet. I just hope that the Adminstration will name the new stadium after Coach Johnson and not the other Jack Rhodes like my mom has heard might happen.

[TigerV1]

They need to slow down the school building. Eventually the school going population growth will either slow down or decline. Don't need to build a bunch of schools that will be closed in 15-20 years.

[Texas Bob]

Katy-Seven Lakes (Spartans) opened this year and (I think) starts varsity play in 2007.

I believe Seven Lakes may have to play varsity ball in 2006. If they don't the next realignment will be in 2008.

Does anybody know for sure?

[STJL41]

I just hope that the Adminstration will name the new stadium after Coach Johnston and not the other Jack Rhodes like my mom has heard might happen.

As much as I would love to see that happen, it won't. In order for something like the name of a stadium that is used district to be made official, all of the schools will have a say. You really think anybody zoned outside of the KHS area is going to want to see a stadium they have to play in every Friday named after a coach that beat them repeatedly?

I think the best chance Johnston has of getting his name on a building is KHS deciding to name their field house after him. That, in my opinion, would be a great way to honor the coach that did so much for KHS football.

Of course, Leonard Merrill (sp?) managed to get his name on the new arena, so I guess anything is possible.

[Tigerjag]

Of course, Leonard Merrill (sp?) managed to get his name on the new arena, so I guess anything is possible.

Referred to as the Taj Merrill. :D

[TheOnceandFutureKnight]

O'Keefe coached the last great Spring Woods team, the one with Robert Ferguson in 1997.

Katy Morton Ranch will be 5A next year, Seven Lakes is reputedly going 4A for 2 years then moving up. Both will play varsity across the board in '06.

[SmilinTiger]

Referred to as the Taj Merrill. :D

It's "the Leonard".

[Red Raiders]

When I lived in Sugar Land, Katy and Sugar Land (Fort Bend) were growing ridiculously fast now!!! I believe Tyler will be next in 5 years because of all the lands are sold in Tyler Area now and they are making millions off of that by 5 years.

[unoit]

I know coach O'keefe and he is a great coach. Ya'll are very lucky to have him and he will do great things for your program.

[Spartan1]

I'm glad to hear this about O'Keefe. He seems like a good guy.
Last night the Spartans (sophmores) finished off the season beating Hastings, giving them a 5-4 (I think) finish. My daughter is a cheerleader there, so I've been keeping up.
That's interesting about varsity 4A next year. That will be like Cinco did, playing varsity with all juniors. But I believe Cinco went straight into 5A.
So UIL does not re-align annually?

[ktfiend]

From what I have heard, it's every two years.

[Favpack]

Here's a crazy question - how do you come up with a school song for a new school?

Dear Ol' Katy Cinco Ranch
We love you more than Starbucks
You really do rock more than all the rest
Etc. etc. etc.

[Spartan1]

Here's what I know: SLHS's logo is San Jose State's (I heard they got permission). The fight song music is San Jose State's. They were asking for lyric submissions earlier in the year, but I haven't heard any more about that.
Yeah, opening a new school is cool, but kinda' weird. You have nothing, except the standard stuff the school district provides. Little things that most people take for granted, you don't get.