Tale Lights Podcast

 Lynn Graves grew up on a farm in Buncombe, Texas. He attended high school at Carthage High School and then went to college at Stephen F. Austin State University. Prior to being a head coach, Coach Graves spent time as an assistant at SFA, and in Jacksonville ISD. Coach Graves began his head coaching career as the Head Football Coach at SFA, where he coached the Lumberjacks all the way to the National Championship Game in 1989. With a close loss in the championship game, and impatience during a time of building the program back up, SFA decided to go in a new direction. Coach Graves did the same and took the Head Football Coaching job for the San Augustine Wolves and led the team to a 2003 UIL State Title against the Tuscola- Jim Ned Indians and quarterback Colt McCoy.  Four days later, he was fired.  No worries though, they rehired him later on down the road, and Coach Graves has a tremendous outlook on life and didn't let things get to him, as his mission of building kids into quality people, always took the forefront. You won't want to miss this wild and incredible story.  

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Matt Wernecke grew up in Wharton, Texas.  No thanks to the help from a pair of double bogey's, Matt caught the eye of the Sam Houston State University Golf Coach, where he went on to play golf in college.  After graduating, and finishing his collegiate career, Coach Wernecke began his career in education at Rice Consolidated.  Following a semester stay at Rice Cons, Coach Wernecke headed home to Wharton, where he became the head golf coach and found himself running the program fresh out of college.  After 5 successful years at home, he decided to head towards Austin and made a short stop at Pflugerville Hendrickson, prior to making a jump to lead the golf program of the Vandergrift Vipers.  As the first and only head coach in the golf program, Coach Wernecke has led both groups to state on multiple occasions, including numerous third place and runner-up finishes on the boys and girls side, and an incredible three year run of state championships for his boys program.   

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Callan Nokes is the Head Golf Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Westlake High School, in Austin, Texas.  Coach Nokes has coached the Chaps to 6 state titles in Golf, and 15 trips to the state tournament in 17 years!  Tune in to learn a little bit about what it takes to be a successful golf coach, and professional educator, from one of the finest in Texas!

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Rose Helmke grew up in San Antonio.  She attended Thomas Jefferson High School, and enjoyed taking pictures of fighter jets at Randolph Field.  Rose spent many years as an elementary educator, not only in Texas, but also in New Mexico!  Have you ever thought about being a double dipper?  Rose explains a lot about teaching in New Mexico Public Schools, but also talks about her time teaching on the Reservation at the Mescalero Apache Schools.  From the good seats of the Inn of the Mountain Gods, Dave (her husband) and Rose were able to watch the Mescalero high school basketball team win a state title, in an empty stadium.  Thanks, Coronavirus.  This episode could be really helpful to folks considering the process of "double dipping!"  Who says teachers can't go out and get some of that Social Security?  Very grateful to Rose for taking the time to share this awesome story. It's always best to use a podcast App (Apple Podcasts is great, spotify, etc.), search Tale Lights Podcast, and find the episode you like, but you may attempt to listen at the link below. Episode should be available soon!

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Sam Harrell grew up in Seminole, and later moved to Brownwood, where he would play football for Coach Gordon Wood.  Coach Harrell was the son of a coach, and had the privilege playing for, learning from, or coaching against, nearly every great football coach in Texas history!  He graduated from ACU and then began a career in education in Plainview.  He then went on to join Coach Wood's staff in Brownwood.  Coach Harrell took his first Head Football Coach in Reagan County, leading the Owls (Big Lake) for four successful years, prior to accepting the same position at Ennis High School.  For some listeners, the draw will be the many games Coach Harrell has won (including three state championships), and while his record is certainly incredible, the most intriguing portion of this podcast, is the moment life came crashing down as he began a struggle with MS, that removed him from the Friday Night Lights.  Coach Harrell was very fortunate to find a friend that filled him in on a procedure available in Panama.  Thanks to God, Panama, and stem cell treatment, Coach Harrell is back on the sidelines in Ennis, Texas, and the Lions are poised for great things in the future.  This episode is one for the books!

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Rick Bachman grew up in San Angelo.  After graduating high school, he joined the Navy and set sail.  Upon returning to the San Angelo area he enrolled in college at Angelo State University.  Coach B began his career down in Alice.  After spending time in Alice, he decided to head back out west to Ozona, where he took a job in the oilfield.  After many year in the oil industry, he was brought back into education by one of our previous guests, Larry Taylor, who at the time was the Superintendent of Ozona.  Coach B eventually took a job in Beeville, before heading back out west to Fort Stockton where he would begin his administrative career as an assistant principal.  Rick eventually took on the role as middle school principal in Ozona, and then returned to Fort Stockton, where he retired from his career in education.  These days you can find him back in the oil industry.  Are you an educator that wants to know how to get into the oil industry?  If so, then listen to this episode, because we cover the two most important ways for you to do it!  Not to mention, you'll have the opportunity I received to listen to a great man tell you a lot of truth about the world of public education in the State of Texas. 

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Scott Hippensteel grew up surrounded by farm life in the State of Indiana.  Coach Hippensteel was recruited by the University of Texas for the sports of cross country and track & field..  He came to Texas and he began his career as a permanent sub at Lanier High School, prior to taking a job as a junior high coach at Leander Jr. High.  In the fall of 1988, Coach Hippensteel began a run at Lockhart that is well known and respected throughout the cross country and track & field world in the State of Texas.  Coach Hippensteel has coached numerous individuals to state championships in cross country and track.  He also coached the 1998 and 2000 Lockhart Lions Cross Country Teams to the UIL Class 4A state title, and finished 2nd or 3rd in the state on countless occasions..  We had a great discussion that goes deep into the subject of what "success" really is in running.

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Ben English spent his early years in the schools of Terlingua, and graduated from Fort Stockton HS. After high school, Ben joined the United State Marines and headed for San Diego. Following his military service, Ben went to school at Angelo State and then began a career with the Texas DPS, as a State Trooper.  Ben English is one incredible man, as following more than twenty years of serving the people as a Trooper, he dove into a two years of teaching the kids criminal justice at Ozona HS. Ben and Cathy (his wife) have since moved to Alpine. and Ben has since gone on to pen the books "Yonkederlings" and "Destiny's Way" and has become a member of the Big Bend Board of Directors.  It's my pleasure to introduce to the Tale Lights Podcast listeners, a one of a kind individual, Ben H. English!  Ben English is one of the finest Americans I've ever known.  In all my stops throughout my journey, I've met few that see America, so passionately, for the great country that it is.  You can't blame us, as we do get a little off the path every once in a while discussing topical and patriotic issues throughout the extent of our discussion.

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Coach Billy Nabours spent more than two decades at Comfort High School. He was one of the most recognizable coaches in the area, and loudly supported each and every one of his runners. He had kids participate at the state meet in just about every event imaginable, along with sending boys and girls teams to state in cross country throughout the years, and a bronze medalist team in 2006. Coach Nabours recently retired and now works for the Hill Country Community Journal in Kerrville, and substitute teaches at Medina and Center Point. He spent time years ago in Angleton, Weatherford, and Big Spring, working for the local newspapers, prior to beginning his career in education that saw stops in Harper, Iredell, Weimar, and Comfort.  Coach Nabours recently became the Head Boys and Girls Track Coach at Our Lady of the Hills Regional Catholic High School in Kerrville.

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