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...
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...
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...
May 1, 2024 | Coach, Gymnastics, Inductees
Bob Sanderson was the Head Gymnastics Coach at Abilene High for 16 years (1983-99) and has amassed a coaching career that spans 24 years between Abilene and Lebanon, KY. His teams at Marion County High School (KY) qualified for the state meet 7 times and won state...
Feb 2, 2024 | Athlete, Baseball, Coach, Legends
HARRY CRAFT, a Throckmorton native, was a centerfielder for the Cincinnati Reds from 1937-42 and was on the Reds team that won the World Series in 1940. Craft began his managerial career in the New York Yankees farm system in 1949. That season, he was Mickey Mantle’s...
