Posted 12:22 am Saturday, February 04, 2012
REL Picks New Head Football Coach
By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer
Robert E. Lee has its man, and it is Fairfield’s Darrell Piske.
“I’m excited. I know there is a lot of work ahead and ready to get started with it. I’m just excited about the opportunity. Tyler is a great place and really looking forward to calling it home,” Piske said.
Rod Kaspar, Tyler ISD athletic director, confirmed Friday afternoon that Piske is the choice to be Lee’s new head football coach and athletic coordinator. He will be presented in front of the school board for approval on Monday.
“I am very happy,” Kaspar said. “We went through the process, and we got the person we want running Lee right now, and I think he’s going to be a good asset to not only Robert E. Lee High School but also TISD.
“Once the people get to know him; he’s a very likeable guy and approachable guy. I think everyone is going to find out that we hired a first-class coach.”
Staff Writer
Robert E. Lee has its man, and it is Fairfield’s Darrell Piske.
“I’m excited. I know there is a lot of work ahead and ready to get started with it. I’m just excited about the opportunity. Tyler is a great place and really looking forward to calling it home,” Piske said.
Rod Kaspar, Tyler ISD athletic director, confirmed Friday afternoon that Piske is the choice to be Lee’s new head football coach and athletic coordinator. He will be presented in front of the school board for approval on Monday.
“I am very happy,” Kaspar said. “We went through the process, and we got the person we want running Lee right now, and I think he’s going to be a good asset to not only Robert E. Lee High School but also TISD.
“Once the people get to know him; he’s a very likeable guy and approachable guy. I think everyone is going to find out that we hired a first-class coach.”
Kaspar said he hopes the board approves Piske and “we’ll hit the ground running after that.”
Piske comes to Lee from Fairfield where he turned around a program that went 1-9 the year before he arrived. The past two seasons, Fairfield has finished 9-1 and 10-1. The Eagles enjoyed an undefeated regular season last year in Class 3A before being upset by Lorena in the Division II district round.
The process of finding a successor to Mike Owens, who retired last spring, began last summer with Kaspar ultimately deciding to give then-defensive coordinator Randy Huffstickler the job on an interim basis. The Red Raiders went 1-9 this season, and although Huffstickler applied for the position, he was informed last week that he was not a finalist.
Piske, Lindale’s Mike Meador and Corsicana’s Phil Castles were rumored to be the other finalists with Meador confirming last week that he pulled his name out of consideration. Piske did not find out that he was the choice until Friday after a meeting with TISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid.
Piske comes to Lee from Fairfield where he turned around a program that went 1-9 the year before he arrived. The past two seasons, Fairfield has finished 9-1 and 10-1. The Eagles enjoyed an undefeated regular season last year in Class 3A before being upset by Lorena in the Division II district round.
The process of finding a successor to Mike Owens, who retired last spring, began last summer with Kaspar ultimately deciding to give then-defensive coordinator Randy Huffstickler the job on an interim basis. The Red Raiders went 1-9 this season, and although Huffstickler applied for the position, he was informed last week that he was not a finalist.
Piske, Lindale’s Mike Meador and Corsicana’s Phil Castles were rumored to be the other finalists with Meador confirming last week that he pulled his name out of consideration. Piske did not find out that he was the choice until Friday after a meeting with TISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid.
“He’s very energetic, very child-oriented; he’s coming in and he’s got a plan,” Kaspar said of Piske. “He won the last couple of years at Fairfield and he’s the kind of guy that is going to come in here and put his program in place and take Lee to the direction that he feels that would be comfortable to get those kids in position to be winners.”
Piske also has coached at Valley Mills, another successful turnaround story. When he arrived in 2003, Valley Mills hadn’t made the playoffs since 1995. He took Valley Mills to the Class 1A state semifinals in 2006 and the regional finals in 2007 before taking the job at Fairfield.
His head coaching record is 53-44, and he also has been an assistant coach at Llano, Bartlett and Kennedale.
“We looked at everybody’s record and did they inherit a great team and keep it going or did they inherit a team that wasn’t doing very good and build it back up?” Kaspar continued. “He knows what it’s going to take to get Lee back to where everyone in this community feels it needs to be.
“He’s proven he can win at all the stops he’s been at, and I think he’s going to prove that at Robert E. Lee.”
Piske also has coached at Valley Mills, another successful turnaround story. When he arrived in 2003, Valley Mills hadn’t made the playoffs since 1995. He took Valley Mills to the Class 1A state semifinals in 2006 and the regional finals in 2007 before taking the job at Fairfield.
His head coaching record is 53-44, and he also has been an assistant coach at Llano, Bartlett and Kennedale.
“We looked at everybody’s record and did they inherit a great team and keep it going or did they inherit a team that wasn’t doing very good and build it back up?” Kaspar continued. “He knows what it’s going to take to get Lee back to where everyone in this community feels it needs to be.
“He’s proven he can win at all the stops he’s been at, and I think he’s going to prove that at Robert E. Lee.”
