Red Raiders
01-20-2006, 06:33 PM
By: CHRIS PARRY, Staff Writer
01/19/2006
Robert E. Lee's Mike Owens could be coaching the Lions next year - as in the Henderson Lions.
Owens will visit the Class 4A high school on Friday and talk with Henderson Superintendent Tommy Alexander about the athletic director/head coaching vacancy there.
The job came open recently when former AD/head coach Reid Waller agreed to be reassigned.
Alexander said Owens is scheduled to arrive at 9 a.m. and they will spend the day touring the facilities, meeting some of the coaches and administrators and viewing the offesason program.
"It's been an ongoing process now for a couple weeks," Alexander said by telephone Thursday. "(Owens) and I have had several meetings, talked on the phone several times. He's my choice and he's the one I want. I am going to go after him."
Henderson went 3-7 last season and was 2-5 in District 17-4A, with one of those wins coming on a forfeit against Jacksonville.
The Lions haven't enjoyed a winning season since 2002. Henderson made the playoffs in 2003, despite having a 3-7 record.
Henderson went 5-5 in 2004.
Owens led Lee to its first-ever state championship in 2004, and was later named 5A Co-Coach of the Year, along with Todd Dodge of Southlake Carroll.
Lee's success brought national notoriety as the Red Raiders hosted a team from Florida and traveled to Ohio last year to play a team from Cincinnati. Lee went 1-1 in those games, and eventually finished with a 4-6 record.
It marked the first time in eight years under Owens that Lee hadn't made the playoffs. Owens has compiled an 82-38 record in his 10 years at Lee.
"I didn't apply for this position, they called me," Owens said. "They are pretty serious about me."
Owens said the draw of being in a one-school town, as well as the financial package Henderson is offering, led him to this decision to check out the Lions.
"I am going to go down there Friday and see what's going on," Owens said. "It will be either a yes or a no."
Chris Parry covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6335. e-mail: sports@tylerpaper.com
ŠTyler Morning Telegraph 2006
01/19/2006
Robert E. Lee's Mike Owens could be coaching the Lions next year - as in the Henderson Lions.
Owens will visit the Class 4A high school on Friday and talk with Henderson Superintendent Tommy Alexander about the athletic director/head coaching vacancy there.
The job came open recently when former AD/head coach Reid Waller agreed to be reassigned.
Alexander said Owens is scheduled to arrive at 9 a.m. and they will spend the day touring the facilities, meeting some of the coaches and administrators and viewing the offesason program.
"It's been an ongoing process now for a couple weeks," Alexander said by telephone Thursday. "(Owens) and I have had several meetings, talked on the phone several times. He's my choice and he's the one I want. I am going to go after him."
Henderson went 3-7 last season and was 2-5 in District 17-4A, with one of those wins coming on a forfeit against Jacksonville.
The Lions haven't enjoyed a winning season since 2002. Henderson made the playoffs in 2003, despite having a 3-7 record.
Henderson went 5-5 in 2004.
Owens led Lee to its first-ever state championship in 2004, and was later named 5A Co-Coach of the Year, along with Todd Dodge of Southlake Carroll.
Lee's success brought national notoriety as the Red Raiders hosted a team from Florida and traveled to Ohio last year to play a team from Cincinnati. Lee went 1-1 in those games, and eventually finished with a 4-6 record.
It marked the first time in eight years under Owens that Lee hadn't made the playoffs. Owens has compiled an 82-38 record in his 10 years at Lee.
"I didn't apply for this position, they called me," Owens said. "They are pretty serious about me."
Owens said the draw of being in a one-school town, as well as the financial package Henderson is offering, led him to this decision to check out the Lions.
"I am going to go down there Friday and see what's going on," Owens said. "It will be either a yes or a no."
Chris Parry covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6335. e-mail: sports@tylerpaper.com
ŠTyler Morning Telegraph 2006