Ten Highland Lakes Sports Insights

Welcome to this weekly column where readers will find a summary of sports across the region and the impressions left on this writer.

1. Here’s a truly scary thought from players who aren’t taking advantage of voluntary strength-and-conditioning programs — the belief they can get ready in August. My advice is not to wait. Get in weight rooms now, get on tracks and fields now because thinking there’s enough time to get prepared for a grueling season in less than 30 days is simply not thinking clearly. Few great athletes can do that and get by. Most elite athletes rarely get out of playing shape. It’s especially imperative for athletes who are members of teams that need every second of pre-district games to get ready for the contests that really count to be participating in summer programs right now. Their presence sends a strong message to teammates that the most talented players are also the hardest working. A lack of attendance also sends a message. So which message do great athletes want to send to their teammates?
2. And for good measure — 21 days remain until the start of fall training camps for football and volleyball and 47 days until the kickoff of the 2022 football season. The opening serve for the 2022 volleyball season is Aug. 9, 30 days from now.
3. Recently I had chats with a couple of Burnet alumni who played football for the Bulldogs and have relatives playing for them now. Both talked about the desire to get more alumni to support the program by attending ball games and getting to know the athletes who represent the community now. Head coach Bryan Wood is having conversations with the alumni and what he and his staff can do to bring the graduates around. The cynical fan says “that’s easy — win.” All agree winning solves a lot. So the question comes back to the chicken and egg; which happened first? Optimism is high on the Bulldogs because of how Wood is approaching his role. Most know the coach has been conducting in-home visits with his players and their families. Personally, the only place I’ve ever heard of in-home visits happening is on the collegiate level and recruiting. But that’s not Wood’s only activity. He also has invited different speakers to address his athletes after voluntary strength-and-conditioning sessions end and has divided players into small groups where they have group leaders who must know where their members are and why they aren’t attending these summer sessions. That’s an example of moving from a coach-fed to a player-led program. These activities point to a turnaround in the program, and alumni are invited to see it firsthand.
4. So many life lessons come from playing sports, and a big one was on full display during the Fourth of July weekend when 2021 Marble Falls High School graduate Kason O’Riley bet on himself in entering the transfer portal after a standout freshman year at the University of Oklahoma. He is now a member of the University of Arkansas track and field team. My belief is O’Riley entered the portal because some promises were made about scholarship money by the Sooners to the athlete for the 2022-23 school year that weren’t kept. To his credit, the former Mustang never said that; I’m basing my opinion on my years of experience in covering sports on all levels. Regardless, O’Riley’s example of believing in himself, knowing his value and not settling is a great life lesson for me and others.
5. Honors for the Burnet High School softball team continue to happen. On the heels of graduate Savannah Gomez being named to the Texas Girls Coaches Association’s Class 4A all-state team, junior catcher Camrynn Guthrie was named honorable mention to the Class 4A All-State Team by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Head coach Hailey Wooten submitted statistics for players to both organizations. That means the two were chosen on their numbers with most voters unable to watch their talent in person. That says plenty about the two and their abilities. Gomez is headed to Concordia University to play on the next level, while Guthrie is playing select softball all over the country.
6. To help her players get ready for the 2023 season, Wooten wants to start a fall league once the 2022-23 academic year begins. Before the league can start, however, the new artificial turf at the Bulldog Diamonds softball field must be installed and ready to be played on. Construction workers believe that project will be finished by November. Wooten said she sent feelers to her counterpart at other schools and received positive feedback. She plans to follow up in the next few weeks once more information is known about the field and other athletic facility construction projects.
7. Let’s get back to the gridiron. One reason Burnet County residents are looking forward to the 2022 season so much is because of the travel distances for contests, especially in District 13-4A Division I that includes Burnet, Lampasas and Marble Falls. The same is true for the Burnet Youth Football League where the Bulldogs will face the Badgers, Mustangs, Lago Vista and other squads in cities closer to Burnet. That’s welcome news for families who had to travel to Boerne, Junction and Wimberley.
8. One fall sport that hasn’t been mentioned is cross country. A lot of that has to do with the great Hudson Bennett, who will be a Burnet High School senior in 2022-23. Bennett is the No. 1 runner in the region, therefore, he also is the No. 1 runner in the district. But what makes Bennett great isn’t his personal accomplishments, though they speak for themselves. Bennett’s presence has elevated the running of his Burnet teammates, who also are paying the price to be great. Their rewards are running in the top postseason meets in the state. So it goes without saying that Burnet is the team to beat in district. Can another team give the Bulldogs a challenge? We’ll see.
9. Another fall sport I’m curious about is team tennis and what Class 4A means for the Marble Falls program. More will be written on this later, but it’s safe to say that optimism is rampant at the Charlie and Nancy Herrington Tennis Center just as it is at other high school facilities used by other sports. Marble Falls’ new District 19-4A includes Belton New Tech, Burnet, Jarrell, Lago Vista and Salado. Looks like coaches throughout the district will have to share athletes with other fall sports. Let’s see how this sport plays out in the fall.
10. I recently caught up with 1993 Marble Falls graduate Ben Staggs, who stepped down as the athletic director and head football and baseball coach at Perrin-Whitt High School to become an assistant coach at Peaster Independent School District. During his two decades of coaching, Staggs has seen it all and performed several tasks himself. From taking over the softball program that led to him winning 300 games to steering the football program from an 11-man squad to a six-man squad, Staggs has shown his diverse skill set and has made his alma mater proud.

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