Am Email from a Vandegrift parent:

Josh sent me this email a few minutes ago- from a Viper football mom. I can say that from the writers standpoint, that she meant her words. I have sent SEVERAL coaches emails or a written note after games, when I have seen or felt something positive. I didn't take the time to do it and not mean what I said. It takes a lot of time and thought to put together and email like this one and we sure do appreciate what she said:

Dear Coach Mann, All Rouse Coaches, and Football Players,

I am a parent of a Vandegrift varsity football player who watched the Rouse vs. Vandegrift varsity game on Friday night at Bible Stadium. It was, to say the least, an exciting game. I just wanted to take a moment to say how impressed I was after the game when your football players stood respectfully in a line behind our players when our school song was played. I have not seen a team do this at any game I have attended, and I have to say that I admire your team and coaches very much after witnessing this display. Your young men played a terrific game and obviously have great sportsmanship. I may be a Vandegrift Mom, but I am now also a Rouse Raiders fan.
Sincerely,
DW
(I only wrote her initials. I didn't ask permission to put this email in here, so I didn't want to write her full name)


The very ironic thing about this email is that Josh got the idea from Rockdale. I can not tell you how I felt when they turned and stood for out school song and that next week, I sent him and email telling him thank you and Good Luck with the rest of their season. So its kind of like, "Pay it forward" because I sent Rockdale a thank you email about this little tradition and then we get an email for it in return.

I know from reading some of your facebook posts that many of you are upset at the other side of the stadium because they were screaming during our school song.

As you know I have attended High School football games my entire life and honestly, this is not much different at any other school. Its not classy and definitely not something I am going to encourage, but Its part of the game and part of being a fan. It's not fun sometimes, but never the less, when you are on the winning side, its just a reaction. And when you are on the losing side, its just a reaction to be upset over. Don't take it personal, its part of the fun- even though its not always fun for one side.

We will have our turn very soon. This year has just been a tough year, but I promise it will turn around:)

*** I am working on my blog post over the game. This one is tough to write, but I will get it done by tomorrow.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

As of right now we are both 0-0 for the week

This week's game is not going to be a game like you have seen all season- from either side.
Vandegrift Vipers may be 3-5 overall, but they are 0-4 in district. Nothing really matters until you get to district.
However, I have heard some say that they are the better team because they have the better record.
I'll give them that- they do have the better record- on paper only.

Lets take a look at their Non-District Schedule:

55-14 WIN over Austin Lanier (3-5 overall) (2-2 in their district)
28-31 Loss to Taylor (1-7 overall)(0-3 in their district)
21-14 WIN over Boerne(7-7 overall)(1-3 in their district) and yes, somehow, they have played 14 games to date according to Max Preps. I don't think this is correct.
42-2 WIN over Austin Crockett (2-6 overall) (2-2 in their district)


Lets look at our Non-District Schedule
34-14 loss to Liberty Hill (6-2 overall) (3-0 in their district)
62-27 loss to Bryan Rudder (6-2 overall) (2-2 in their district)
34-21 loss to Pfugerville Hendrickson (4-5 overall) (2-3 in their district)
17-14 loss to Lampasas (5-3 overall) (1-2 in their district)

I would say that by looking at it at first glance, it seems we played a pretty even non-district schedule. But if you break it down even further and look at who THOSE teams beat and who is in their district, as opposed to who we played, then I say we have the upper hand.

But we can throw ALL of this stuff out the window, because as of this week the
Raiders and the Vipers are both 0-0

This week the game in its entirety will be different and unlike any that either of us have played so far. Its a rival game. If there is anything I am an expert at- its knowing about Rival games.

Rival games are intense and are a battle for Pride.

This game is going to be based on PRIDE. We are both winless in district, we are both in a tough district with only 3 classes, and we are both hungry for a big fat W.

To say I am nervous is a complete understatement. I have never in my life been more nervous about a game, other than when I was in High School, only difference now, is that football is literally what feeds our family:)

Rival game scare the living daylights out of me. It doesn't matter what kind of record a team has, a rival game can go either way. Especially a game like we will be playing tomorrow night. Football is mental and 95% of the way in which the athletes perform on the field is based on their mentality at the time of the game. There is going to be a lot of pressure on both teams to win this game and its going to be a dogfight until the end.
For the past 3 days, I have been the following:
anxious, nervous, excited, extremely sad, stressed, amazed, at a loss for words, temperamental, and eager.
I am so ready for this game. I am ready for a win and I am ready to watch our guys play and our coaches coach to the best of their abilities.

I KNOW we CAN win this game and I am READY to watch our guys celebrate on the sideline when the clock runs out.
I can't think of anything else that I want to experience right now.

Good Luck to our Rouse Raiders tomorrow night: lets prove this week's slogan right. I will pray to the football Gods that they are on our side and to the football angels for no injuries for either team. Go out and play your best and bring home a Victory. I know you want it as much as I do.

Watch out Vipers.. This Night Belongs to the Raiders

Did you know...

That currently the 2010 Rouse Raider football team is LEADING the district in fumble recoveries and interceptions?

Do you know how amazingly awesome that is?

Raiders fall to Lake Travis 62-14

I am still a believer, don't doubt that:)

Last night was a tough one. BUT, as I was thinking about this on the way home, IF we had played Lake Travis any closer, then we wouldn't be playing good teams. I don't mean that offensively at all, but we SHOULDN'T be able to play with them. As much as I would have liked to believe we could, we can't- and I am glad. I am glad because if we were able to do that, then the following wouldn't mean anything:

1) We just scored 2 touchdowns against the #3 team in the State. A team that has won 3 BACK TO BACK state championships. Their only loss in 49 games was to Aledo, who is dang good! Aledo was the 2009 defending State Champion in Division II- 4a

2) Those 2 touchdowns, were more than any other team in district has scored on them.

3) We won the second half. Which may not mean much to them, but to us- its a huge victory.
I heard someone say that, "so what, we won the second half, big deal, they had their 2nd string in"
My response, "1) really, because they had their 2nd string in when they Vista and Vandegrift and I am pretty sure THEY didn't score 2 touchdowns on them, and 2) Its not like their 2nd string was crappy, because they weren't!"

I wish I could say I was positive the entire game. Apparently I am still learning. I had a hard time with the fact that LT chose to keep their starters in the entire first half and I had a REALLY hard time with the on-side kick, but all of that is part of football and something I took personal, which shame on me. I'll get over it, especially because it will all come back to haunt them at some point! ha... Actually we have friends over at LT and they are good people, so even though I did take it personally, I also know that LT is a good solid program and they weren't trying to be jerks.
I am witnessing to all of you right now, that my mission is to be a better opposing team, football coaches wife in the stands, so if you catch me running my mouth, remind me of this post.

We are in a TOUGH district, probably the toughest in Central Texas and pretty close to the top of the toughest in the state and while I hate it because I know we are fighting so hard to get that win, I am also so glad that we didn't get stuck in some 3a, where we are playing teams that aren't known for being powerhouses. God put us where we are for a reason, and I am going to trust him to know what he is doing with our team.






We have some fighters on our team. Logan Kinder #2 is just one of them. i just LOVE watching him play. He is fun to watch and I can just imagine the smack he is talking on the field. He really makes me think of Judson when I watch him. Judson will be like that, which is why i think Logan is so fun to watch.

Jaykob Gomez #92- LOVE watching Jaykob. Last night he had one of the best games he has had. He lit up their division I (#77) guy and I think he may have even tackled the QB in the 2nd half. He whipped up on 77 ALL NIGHT
Want to know what I love about this guy? He is an example to EVERY football player that is an average player.
I don't want to offend Jaykob by writing this, so I hope (if he reads this) that this is NOT my intention. Its actually a TRUE and inspiring compliment.
When Jaykob started as a Freshman, he was a B-team football player. I am not sure if he even started, or if he was just a back-up, but either way, the kids was an ok player. But the more his Freshman year progressed, the more he learned and the better he got at his position. He was and is a good kid, very quiet and shy:)
Fast forward to his Sophomore year, we only had 1 JV team, so he moved up and he was a defensive end backup. Jaycob came to practice every day, made his grades and did what was asked of him. He didn't complain and he didn't make excuses. If he screwed up in practice, he fixed it. Jaycob wasn't selfish, he didn't care if he started, he loved being a part of the team and that was what was important to him.
One game he had to step up and be the starter, it was unfortunate for the player, but fortunate for Jaycob because Gomez has remained the starting defensive end since that game back in 2009- he kept the position even after the guy that originally had it, was able to come back. He was the Star of the Week on Defense last week and has made play after play for our defense.
I am so proud for #92. He earned that position because he worked hard. He isn't just a naturally gifted athlete, he is good because he works hard and to me personally, I think that will take him so far in life.

We have a lot of kids stepping up and playing their little hearts out. I have a video of Travis Leslie stripping the ball away from a Cavalier. Not sure if many of you know this, but Travis is a starting Linebacker. He is 15- BARELY 15. He turned 15 in August. If you know much about football, you know that while Quarterback is the most important position on offense , the Linebackers are the most important on Defense. And a 15 year old Leslie is one of them. Great kid and I know that he is just going to keep making us proud.
:)
(Thank you to Travis's sister: Brandi Leslie, for sending it to me:)



We have a lot of hardworking and gifted athletes on our team. Its guys like these that make this team who we are and we can't give up. We have to focus on the positive things we have done, not the negative and keeping fighting. And we, as fans, have to fight for them because they need us believing in them


I love this team, I love our guys. I hate losing, but I will take the good with the bad because these kids and these coaches and our parents mean so much to me.
I appreciate what you guys have done for me in return. I look forward to every day. I look forward to Josh coming home and telling me about practice, or about some funny thing that some athlete did, or some thing that really bothered him that some kid did or said. Its not all GOOD things that I hear, but I hear about it because Josh cares and he knows I care. I don't really get to contribute to any of that officially, but I get to see how it effects him, both good and bad.
I love knowing about these kids, it makes my job as his wife, so much easier and so much more fun. I trust our guys and I trust them around Jace and Judson. And Jace and Judson love them. The boys have these football players that are small and plastic (they have full sets of teams) and the players have numbers on them. You can buy them online at Kaskey Kids
Anyhow, they have about 5 different sets of teams, and the one and only thing Jace wants for Christmas (from Santa) is a set of Rouse Raider teams. And he has specified their numbers. He brought me our roster and specifically said he wanted every kid on our current team's numbers on his players and he wants our official jersey's.
Now, how in the hell Santa will pull this off, is beyond me, but the point is that our boys idolize our players. If they don't know them by name, then they know them by number and they know most everyone's positions.
If we didn't have good athletes that were good with our boys, I would not let them around our boys. I don't know how many of you reading this are parents, or are athletes, but know that the Raiders are role models to my kids.


One thing that happened at the end of the game, that I thought was cool, is when Lake Travis played their school song, our guys turned around and stood watching their team and one of the coaches, hit another and said "How classy is that" and they turned around and did it for us. We have Rockdale to thank for us adopting this little classy tradition. We thought that was so neat how they did it for us and I think its great that we picked that up.

Sorry, this post didn't exactly have much to do with Lake Travis. I am sure I will edit it as I think of things. I do that often!



Listen to Coach Mann's interview on Friday Night Fanstand (I even got a shout out- thank you FNF


**Thank you to Peggie Kinder for allowing me to stalk her facebook and steal some photo's that she took:)

Hill Country News Article

Lake Travis View

Coach Mann on Talk Radio 1370

10-23-10 Talk Radio 1370

I want to talk about this for a minute. First off, I loved the interview. But anytime that I get to hear Josh speak, I love it!!

But the other thing that I thought was WAY COOL is the interviewer! Coach Derek Long!

For some of you that do not know who he is, Coach Derek Long is the former coach at Westlake High School. He was their Head Coach for 6 years and coached there for 26 years!

While At Westlake:
-part of 271-64-6 record
-1996 State Championship
-Six State Finalist Teams
-Three State Semifinalist Teams
-Four State Quarterfinalist Teams

And as the Head Coach:

-Record of 54-22
-District Champions 2004, 2005, and 2008
-State Semifinalist 2003
-State Finalist 2006
-State Quarterfinalist 2008
-2006 5A Coaching Staff of the Year
-2006 Tex Kassen Sportsmanship Award
-District Coach of the Year 2004, 2005, 2008

Its funny because when I was listening to the interview, and he introduced himself as Coach Long, I was wondering why I knew that name, and I asked Josh and he told me he was the former HC of Westlake, I was so excited. I remember watching them when he coached there and I remember when he left Westlake. I love his voice! Reminds me of Sam Elliot:)

Anyhow, I thought this was a cool interview and to be interviewed by sure a awesome coach was way cool!

Are you a Believer?

Woke up this morning with a really good feeling. I feel calm and I feel excited and I feel like I BELIEVE we can come out and surprise some people.

These last few weeks, things have been tough and tense and emotional in the Mann household. Its hard to lose and its hard to watch your husband beat himself up over things that really are somewhat out of his control. But on Tuesday he came home in an UNbelievable mood that made me feel that excitement that I used to feel instead of the dread that I have been feeling lately

I BELIEVE in our team. I always did and would never, NOT believe in them. When I wrote my post yesterday, it really made ME feel a lot of things. Its hard to convince people to believe when you aren't getting the results you want. I could tell you all about my Senior year and you wouldn't understand because you weren't there to witness it. I BELIEVED in my team then and I believe in this one now.

But if you aren't convinced that we CAN do it, then you aren't a believer.

The definition of Believe:
a psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true

I looked up Believe on Wiktionary and this is what I learned about being a Believer in something:
--To accept as true without empirical evidence.
--To accept that someone is telling the truth
--To consider likely.
--To have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth

The Rouse Raiders can go out and play with Lake Travis tonight. I believe it. In truth, ANY team can beat another on any given night. It happens all the time. It happened to my 1998 Rider Raider football team and we went on to beat 2 legitimately GOOD teams in the playoffs. We weren't supposed to even be IN the playoffs- hell we got in on a coin toss! And we definitely we NOT supposed to beat 2 teams and almost beat another!

But they did- and the 2010 First Ever Rouse Raider Varsity Football team can too.

Mind over Matter

I am a Believer! How about you?

Rouse Raiders aren't much different than the 1998 Rider Raiders

I have been wanting to write this for a long time, but its hard to write about because its hard for me to separate my feelings from football in general. For ME personally, as most of you know, football is obviously my life. Its always been that way and honestly, football is more than anything, exactly what brought Josh and I together in the first place. So football plays on SO many angles in my life, that when I sit down to write, its hard for me to stick to one thing before going off on another thing and before I know it, my post is a tangled mess of football! ha

This has been a year that I didn't expect. I can honestly say that if someone last year had told me that we would be 0-7 right now, I would have laughed in their face and bet all my money against that person. (or I would have hit them, depending on my mood that day- I can be feisty when it comes to my teams)

This season has been hard on me. I KNOW its been hard on our players and our coaches, which is why its very hard on me. I HATE watching Josh come home and scratch his head to try and figure out what he is doing wrong. I hate that he takes it so hard, buy then as someone pointed out- "its a good thing he is taking it hard- we'd be worried if he wasn't"... SO true, but its great for THEM to not have to watch it day in and day out, while I am at home try to help him sort out his feelings and thoughts. He likes to talk it out and I basically listen and try to give my two cents every now and then. Last night I was especially proud of myself- as he had a revelation- so did I:) ha

Anyhow, so as I was saying, I never thought that our team would be 0-7. I don't think I over-estimated our team, because make no mistake, We are doing a LOT of things right and for basically having a JV team playing Varsities, (GOOD Varsities), we are doing a hell of a job. But I think maybe I under-estimated the teams that we are playing. I knew CP and LT would be good, but I can honestly say that if someone had said that Vista Ridge would be 6-2, I would have laughed at that. (although, I can say that I am VERY happy for them. I truly am and I am hoping that next year someone will be saying the same about us)

I know we have the potential to be an amazing team and I think next year, the table is going to flip and I think we will be able to compete solidly with CP and LT. I have no doubt about it. And the year after THAT- they better all watch out for us.Currently we have 13 SOPHOMORE starters on our team. Providing no injuries or move-aways- we will have 13 starters for 3 years. (counting this season).
Coaches say that for every Sophomore you have on your Varsity, that you will lose 1 game. (that's NOT a knock, but your talking about a 15 year old playing against a 17/18 year old, well how about thirteen, 15 year olds going against twenty- two 17 or 18 year olds! That's kind of unfair if you think about it!)

This year I think we have done some great things, and we have done a LOT of things right. We are growing and we are getting where we need to be. Our kids are fighters. Those guys fight- every day and we deserve a win.
Do I think we can go out and beat Lake Travis- honestly... maybe.
Let me just tell you about MY Senior year and maybe I will make you a believer too

(Sorry, Coach Aboussie, I know I am bringing up bad memories for you:)

My Senior Year, the 1998 Wichita Falls Rider Raiders.
A little background, my previous 3 years of High School, we were the smallest school in 5a.
(kind of like the Rouse Raiders being one of the smallest in 4a right now)
We had great athletes in those 3 years, several of them went on to play at the college level- with full rides and I have 4 of those kids in the 3 years went on to play in the NFL and Canadian Football Leagues. So we had good athletes, but in those 3 years we won a total of 10 games in those years- and 6 of those games were non-district games.

In realignment of 1998 when I was still a junior, our smallest 5a school, missed the 5a mark by 9 kids. Because of those 9 missing kids, we were able to move down to 4a. This was HUGE for us and very exciting.

We thought we were going to run the table in 4a.
But to our disappointment, we won 2 games all year. Those two games were against the Burkburnett Bulldogs- who were 0-8 that year. The final game was against the Wichita Falls High School Coyotes (who Coach Aboussie was an all district running back for:)

WFHS and Rider, have a LONG history. Sadly, but true, the coach could be in the hot seat and be o-fer all year, but you if you win that game, you are as good as gold that next day and your job is saved. Those school's have an amazing tradition, its awesome as a player and as a fan, but its a coaches nightmare and one that I THOROUGHLY enjoyed as student and even as an alumni, but when i became a coaches wife at "the other school" I HATED IT. I realized just how unhealthy it was.


Anyhow, back to the story- that's a completely different blog!

So, in district, WFHS was (2-3) and Rider was (1-3) going into our game against each other. At that time 3 teams went to the playoffs, so here was the scenario in which it could have played out:

A Coyote Win would have put them automatically into the playoffs

A RIDER Win would have caused a tie, and at the end of the game would cause a coin flip to see who would go into the playoffs.

A third scenario was if Rider beat WFHS by a certain number of points and it also went on penetrations and all this other stuff that I couldn't begin to tell you. (Grandpa, feel free to comment as I am certain you know exactly what it was)

Anyhow, the game was rainy and it was miserable, all I remember is standing there in tears because I knew this was my last game to watch as a Rider Raider student. At halftime we were trailing by 3 points. I just KNEW we could win, and much like I do now, I was worried, but hopeful. I never worry until 4th quarter (then and now), but in your final game of your senior year, I was on pins and needles (I can't imagine how the players felt!)
We had a great passing game and Coyotes secondary couldn't cover us. Plus it was so slippery from all the rain. I think there may have been 9 minutes left in the fourth, but Our QB: Justin Ozuna, threw a pass to Shane Szymanski and we scored making the score 21-10.
Thinking it was all good and I was a bit more relaxed, then out of NOWHERE- the Coyote QB passed off to, I think, Joseph Aboussie who scored on us, then they went for 2, making the score 21-18.
With 2 minutes and maybe 10 seconds left, they missed their on-side kick, and we ran the clock as much as we could. But not enough, and they got the ball back. There was 45 seconds left and they were in field goal range. With luck or the Lord on our side, their 30 yard field goal kicker- who NEVER misses, did in fact miss and the game was ours. I have never been more excited to win a game.

But, luck and the Lord were STILL with us, because our team won the coin toss and we made it to the playoffs. I have never been so excited and I can honestly say that of almost everything that happened my Senior year, winning that coin toss is something I will NEVER forget.

Here is why i think we COULD beat Lake Travis.

The 1998 Rider Raiders were a good team. We had some good kids, but there was a LOT of things going on in that season that were obstacles. Those guys had a LOT to over-come and its amazing to me how that coaching staff was even able to keep the team together. I will write about this sometime, but not now. We had good athletes, but not many that went on to play post high school, so our guys were at best- average. But never the less, we won that coin toss.

Not only did we win the coin toss, but our 2-3 team went on and
beat Weatherford in triple over time in the bi-district championship (43-35). Weatherford was 6-4 going into the game.
THEN
We beat Cleborne in the Region I Semifinals (14-7). Cleborne was 8-3 going into the game before we put a stop to their season.
THEN the mother of all mothers.
THANKSGIVING WEEK!
Our Cinderella team drove to Lubbock to play super defensive tough Plainview in the Region I-Division I Finals.
Plainview was 10-1 going into the game, and we played with them right the entire game.
Plainview beat us 35-28, but we were very much alive until the last minute of the game.
I have NEVER been so incredibly heartbroken in my life.










Is it sad that I remember all of that? Nothing was more exciting to me than that year. Until I became a coaches wife and get to witness this EVERY YEAR. Except now, the kids that i am cheering for, are not my peers or my friends. I am cheering for kids and coaches and I NOW know what all goes into a football game, its not something that happens in the 48 minutes on the field.

Our team can accomplish whatever they put their minds to. All it takes is us believing in each other. Look at my team my senior year. We were 2-8.... 2-8. That is 2 wins and 8 LOSSES.
And we finished at 4-9.

The 1998 Rider Raiders didn't give up and I don't believe our Rouse Raiders will either.

Raiders vs. Lake Travis

Coming Soon

Rouse vs. Dripping Springs

Raiders lose to Dripping Springs

Raiders vs. Timberwolves

I am sorry I have been so slow at updates. I truly am. I know its bad timing, but I have been very busy and honestly, its hard to write each week. Hard emotionally really.

This game was especially hard for me to write about. SO many emotions going on in my mind.
I love Cedar Park, I always have and I always will. Cedar Park will never be an enemy and this game was proof of why I love that staff and their wives so much. Even now, as I am writing this, I am teary.

I won't write much about the game itself. One, because it was 2 weeks ago, but two, because its pretty self-explanatory. We lost. They are a GREAT team and very well coached and very disciplined.

Contrary to what I have read on facebook (by students- not by parents), Cedar Park did not run the score up on us. Not even remotely. They rotated their kids the entire game. We did make several mistakes, but all in all, they were just better.

I get chills thinking about it, but when our guys went down with his injury, and the 2 teams prayed together, I was blown away. I don't think I have ever, ever seen such a thing in my life from 2 teams. I am sure its happened, but rarely. Not together in the middle of the field.
Another thing that is rare is when a player goes down and BOTH Head Coaches are looking over him. THAT is rare. And shows so much class.

The prayer after the game was started because a player from Cedar Park wanted the two teams to pray together as a team and with the two staffs. That's rare.

For ME, watching Two amazing teams with so much class on their knees praying together made the pain of the loss go away entirely. That image will forever be engraved in my mind.


Rouse finding lesson in losses

Happy Birthday Coach Mann

WE LOVE YOU!!!

Lunch with the enemy

For some reason, unknown to me, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and eat lunch with the Cedar Park Head Coaches Wife: Leslie Ross.
I forget how much I miss her and that staff:) It was so great to catch up!
We talked some poor lady into taking our picture. She was happy to do it, but when we put up our signs, she kind of gave us a strange look! ha

Raiders vs. Timberwolves: Part I: The history between the two staffs

This is the game I have been dreading for 3 years now. I am not ready for it and as I am writing this, I have realized I have a LOT I want to talk about!

I love the Timberwolves. I love the school, I love their coaches, I love their coaches wives.
For the past 5 years I have cheered for the Timberwolves and I listen to their games every week on the radio if I could not make it to the game. Hell, I used the CP Stadium seat up until THIS year (although I covered up the Twolve)- and then I reluctantly gave it to Stacy Childs- one of the CP wives last week (because I thought maybe it was like a curse to have it in my car).

My point is that Cedar Park and the Raiders will NEVER, EVER have bad blood between the 2 schools. Will it be a rival game? Absolutely, but a very friendly one as long and Ross and Mann are the coaches.
As proven by the 5a Texas Football Website
There is a lot of History between our 2 staffs. Let me give you a breakdown:

Coach Chris Ross

Chris coached at Olney- he coached with (Rouse's): Steve Walker and (Cedar Park's) Brent Brittain), and they BOTH COACHED (Rouse's) Corey Elrod!
Then in 1998- he became the Offensive Coordinator under at Wichita Falls High School under Leo Britain.
Chris's first season as OC was MY Senior year at Rider HS- the cross town rival of WFHS. (Rouse's Joseph Abboussie) was an all district running back for WFHS. So Chris Ross coached him. Also on that football staff was (Rouse's) Tony Cooper, (Cedar Park's Carl Abseck- who also taught ME as a Sophomore when he was student teaching:)
In 2001 Coach Ross became the Head Coach for the WFHS Coyotes. He hired Josh Mann
In 2003, Leo Brittain came out of retirement and came back to be an assistant under Chris and at the same time, they hired Leo's son, (Cedar Park's) Brent Brittain
In 2004, they hired (Cedar Park's) Michael Quintero, who went to High School with Josh (AND Rouse's Randon Johnson) AND to top THAT off, Randon and Quintero coached together at Amarillo Palo Dura!

Is this confusing? Because it only gets more twisted!
In 2005, Chris became the Head Coach at Cedar Park High School, from Wichita Falls, he brought along: Josh, Brent Brittain, and Carl Abseck, (pictured above:)
A year later they hired Michael Quintero and Bryan Brittain (Brent's brother), Joe Willis, and Connie Cochran

Coach Josh Mann

Then in 2008, Josh was named the Head Coach at Rouse High School. He brought over Canyon Ridge Middle School's Darrell Knight, who came up on the weekend's and helped Cedar Park, so he was basically a part of the CP staff.
Then, he hired Tony Cooper from the old (WFHS staff) and Paul Cochran (the son of CP's Connie Cochran!). Later he hired Corey Elrod, Joseph Abboussie (who were both coached by Coach Ross, and Coach Walker and Coach Abseck and Coach Cooper also coached Abboussie!) in High School AND hired Randon Johnson, who went to HS with both Michael Quintero and Josh!
Josh also hired Nick Rogers at Wiley Middle School... Nick went to school with my brother and Josh, Quintero, Cooper, Coach Ross, coaches AGAINST Nick when he played at Rider HS.
Then to top it off, John Speed used to coach UNDER Leo Brittain at Richland, and is good friends with the Brittain brothers. Bryan and Brent recommended John to Josh!

And the one man that we really and truly have to thank for these 2 awesome staffs is Leo Brittain (pictured with his wife Karen). Leo is truly an amazing man and it has TRULY been an honor to be friends with his sons, their wives and to know him and Karen. Thats an entirely separate blog, which I will get to one of these days very soon.


When the Ross's, the Mann's, the Abseck's and the Brittain's moved here from Wichita Falls, it was HARD. When you move to a school that already has an established staff, the staff that is left is not always nice and well, women are worse than men, so they were less than thrilled to have us there.
It was an adjustment. I was pregnant with Judson, Jace was 18months old, Leslie Ross had 3 kids- 2 in school and a 1 year old, Audra Abseck only had Gunnar at the time and Heidi Brittain has 3 older girls, but Heidi wasn't crazy about moving, so it was hard and to top it off we had these wives on the old staff that didn't really want us there, so the 4 of us, pretty much had to stick together, and we made it work. We had a wonderful time and I have to say that these girls are still some of my closest friends. I love the Rouse staff and I love our coaches wives and I can say that as a WHOLE, our staff is the best that I have ever been a part of, but there is a bond that we formed at Cedar Park because it WAS so hard and they are equally as wonderful. It was really hard for me because I had NEVER been away from my family and I missed them. And the rest of them had been away from their families for a long time.
After that first year, Chris added new coaches because some of the other ones from the old staff had moved on and, we added Lisa Brittain, Kathy Cochran, Amber Willis, Katie Schmidt, and Rita Smith. I love these ladies. I only knew them as CO-coaches wives for 2 years, but we became great friends and I still keep in touch with each one of them.
It was amazing to be on the same side cheering for so long and I honestly didn't think I would ever have to cheer against them in the same district, but the time has come for me to "put on my big girl panties" and get over it because for the next 2 years at least, we are enemies during week 3 of district!

Cedar Park has a great staff and great wives and great kids, its going to be neat to see the kids that Josh coached as Freshman, play in their last year at Cedar Park against us. They have a great team and while I hope we beat them- I hope that Cedar Park will go on to win it all this year because as hard as those coaches work, they do deserve it and our time is coming. I have no doubt that this is going to become one of the best, friendliest rivalries in the Central Texas area:)

Darrell Knight at Canyon Ridge MS

The Speeds in Decater

I think this is awesome, Joseph Aboussie goes back to WFHS, not as a running back, but as a running back COACH and he gets to coach his little brother in his Senior year- also a running back. Here are the 2 Aboussie's: Eddie and Joseph

High School Sweethearts: Randon and Jennifer Johnson's

The Willis's and their new family

The Smith family- Beau Smith is #83 for the Timberwolves!

The Schmidt's

The Ross's

Quintero!

Brittain 1

Brittain 2

The Abseck Clan

The Elrod's

Little Cochran




Daddy Cochran
****An interesting fact about the Cochran's
Paul and Connie are the Head Baseball Coaches for Rouse and Cedar Park and Paul was previously the assistant baseball coach at Leander HS. To date: Paul has never beaten his dad in Baseball- ever and Connie has never beat Paul in Football.
This will be interesting to see if the Football Gods still rule in Little Cochran's favor.
As a Head Coaches Wife, I will pray to the Football Gods tonight.

Coop's!

2004 Our First year as a family of 3 at WFHS

2006 Mann's: First football season as a complete family of 4!
2007 Mann's
2008 Mann's

2009 Mann's

2010 Football Season




Look for Part II of Raiders vs. Timberwolves later this evening