Grissom, Bill

May 24, 2025 | Athlete, Coach, Football, Inductees

BILL GRISSOM of Winters was the leading rusher at McMurry as a junior and senior in 1963 and 1964, and was among the survivors of the infamous belly-landing plane crash involving the McMurry football team. He then began a 34-year career as a high school football...

Harrell, Sam

May 24, 2025 | Coach, Football, Inductees

SAM HARRELL played quarterback and defensive back for Gordon Wood at Brownwood before beginning a long coaching career around the state of Texas. Harrell coached Ennis to three state championships in 2001, 2002 and 2004 before retiring in 2009 to fight MS. Harrell was...

Hood, The Don Hood Family

May 24, 2025 | Coach, Inductees, Legacy Award, Track & Field

THE HOOD FAMILY from Abilene is this year’s Pat Gerald Memorial Legacy Award recipient. The lateDON HOOD won nine NAIA and NCAA Division II national championships in 11 years at Abilene Christian University. He was considered the nation’s premier pole vault coach,...

Groce, Ike

May 24, 2025 | Coach, Impact Award, Inductees, Tennis

Ike Groce is considered the “Father of Tennis in Abilene.” He came to Abilene in 1969 and was the junior high tennis coordinator for the Abilene Independent School District. Because of the foundation that Groce laid with youth tennis in Abilene, Cooper has won four...

Robertson, Julian “Tex”

May 23, 2025 | Athlete, Coach, Inductees, Legends, Swimming

The late Julian “Tex” Robertson of Sweetwater was a member of the U.S. Olympic water polo team that won a bronze medal at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. He then founded the swim program at the University of Texas, where he trained 15 all-Americans, numerous...

McKinney, Jim

May 1, 2024 | Coach, Gymnastics, Inductees

Jim McKinney was the Head Gymnastics Coach at Cooper for 25 years. His Cougars gymnastics teams won three state championships while McKinney was at the helm of the program. He was named the Texas High School Gymnastics Coach of the Year five times and was twice named...