Cooper girls’ basketball head coach Brandon Hudson remembers being a young coach when he started in the profession 12 years ago. 

Late nights breaking down film or washing uniforms and practice gear. Long bus rides on dark, lonely roads. A lot of fast-food hamburgers and pizza. And the grind of teaching class while also preparing for practices and games. 

All the things that are a rite of passage for young coaches across Texas.

Fortunately, Hudson had positive role models to help him through those rough early years in coaching.

“As a young coach, I remember juggling my classroom responsibilities and coaching responsibilities, among other things,” he said. “It can be intimidating at times. I’m glad I had great mentors to help me navigate those difficult times. I want to give the same mentorship to the next generation of coaches.”

And now Hudson – along with. Abilene High softball head coach Jenna Aguirre – will have a chance to give back as both have been selected as R.O.C.K. Academy Mentors. For the third straight year, Abilene ISD has three young coaches selected as R.O.C.K. mentees, but this is the first year an AISD coach has been chosen as a mentor.

The Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) has implemented a mentorship program called The R.O.C.K. Coaches Mentoring Program (Rare, Outstanding, Compelled, and Knowledgeable)  — powered by Texas High School Coaches Education Foundation (THSCEF)  and Texas A&M University. This mentorship program is designed to connect with a younger generation of coaches. The R.O.C.K. program matches a coach new to the profession (the mentee) with a veteran coach (the mentor) to gain advice and encouragement and help them grow in their desired coaching field.

The mentors and mentees gathered at AT&T Stadium in Arlington earlier this week (March 3-4) for the R.O.C.K. Workshop, where current directors of athletics and mentors from across the state took mentees through mock interviews, answered their questions, and passed along their knowledge gained from a lifetime in coaching.

Coincidentally, the best advice Hudson ever received was eerily similar to Aguirre’s.

“The best advice I have gotten was remember your why,” he said. “Whenever the days get tough, remember why you got into this. I’ve been coaching for 12 years and have seen a lot in those years, some good and some bad. Those situations have given me the tools to help young coaches avoid some of the mistakes I made. I can help young coaches work on prioritizing their time and dealing with the difficult situations that may arise in the classroom and coaching.”

Aguirre – who went to Arlington after coaching the Lady Eagles softball team in a tournament over the weekend – said her advice to her mentees was simple.

“Always remember your why,” Aguirre said. “Social media and the naysayers on social media will try to take you off your course, but there’s a reason you landed in this profession, and remember your why. When things get tough, reach out to someone you can confide in and always be willing to adapt. Regardless of the years, everyone has room for growth, and our profession is one where you can never stop learning. Remain a student of the game, love your kids, and at the end of the day, put the kids first.”

Aguirre got an early jump in her head-coaching career, earning her first job as a head coach at 22 years old in Navasota ISD. She was hired by then-athletics director Patrick Goodman, who made quite an impression on the young Aguirre (then Jenna Bane).

“I was blessed with a great mentor and athletic director, Patrick Goodman, who was an open door and guided me in every aspect of my first year,” she said. “I can’t thank him enough. Being in the classroom was new, and coaching at the high school level was new to me. He helped me through every situation – good and bad – and that was the greatest blessing. The hours are long, and finding balance can be difficult. But with the help of good leadership and a cohesive staff, you begin to figure out what works for you.

“He told me, ‘Your passion, energy, and love of the kids makes you a good coach. Never change that,’ “ Aguirre said. “ ‘Don’t be a brat because you won’t always going to get your way.’ Coach Goodman made sure to re-light my flame if it was going out because of some adversity.”

Hudson and Aguirre both work with and around young coaches on their respective campuses, and each said that aside from their assigned mentees as part of the R.O.C.K. program, they want to be mentors on their campuses.

“I want them to know that we are in the greatest profession in the world,” Hudson said. “I try to be an open book for the young coaches on my staff. Someone they can come to for advice and to vent to when necessary.”

Aguirre said her goal with the young coaches she interacts with on the AHS campus is to remind them to continue to evolve along with the students and athletes.

“The most important thing to me is never stop growing and learning as a coach,” she said. “I pour into our younger coaches and remind them to continue evolving with the game and this generation. Every group of kids we have is different, and relationships are the most important in how we coach kids. We coach kids hard but love them even harder. Remember your why and keep doing what you do. We have the best softball staff in the state. These coaches put our kids first. They love them and push them to be the absolute best they can be. They have built relationships with them that go beyond the softball field. We are truly blessed.”

Here’s a brief bio on each of the three Abilene ISD coaches who were selected to be mentees in the THSCA R.O.C.K. program for the 2023-24 school year:

 

HEATH KOOP

Years in coaching: 3rd year

Years at Madison: 3rd year

Sports coaching: Football, Basketball, Track and Field, and Powerlifting

College: 2014 graduate of McMurry University

Coach Koop says: “It’s an honor to be nominated into the R.O.C.K program, I am excited for the experience and to get the chance to network among coaches from around the state.”

 

TRENTON PEARSON

Years in coaching: 4th year

Years at Abilene High: 1st year

Sports coaching: Football and Baseball

College: 2017 graduate of Sul Ross State University  

Coach Pearson says: “It’s exciting to have been selected for the R.O.C.K. program. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the profession from experienced coaches. It’s a chance to grow and learn as a coach while meeting some knowledgeable coaches along the way. It’s a privilege to be selected, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity.” 

 

CHANCE PIERCE

Years in coaching: 4th year

Years at Cooper: 3rd year

Sports coaching: Football and soccer

College: 2020 graduate of Abilene Christian University

Coach Pierce says: “(Being selected for the R.O.C.K. Mentoring program tells me) God has me exactly where he wants me. I’m beyond blessed to have been recognized as a R.O.C.K. Mentee. My granddad (who passed away before I was born) was someone I always grew up hearing about from others in my community who were either students or players of his when they were in school, so I understood the impact of a coach growing up. Getting into this profession was special – not only for myself but also for my mom – because it’s a piece of him that she gets back. Being selected as a R.O.C.K. mentee is a special recognition in many ways. I’m excited to learn from great mentors and grow in this program.”