Danny Russell, Garland Owls’ head football coach and 1984 GHS graduate put it this way:
“Everybody sees that this team is doing things around here that haven’t been done for a while. And it’s not just that they are winning, it’s also the way they’re winning that gives everybody the feeling that there might be something special going on.”
Quarterback Cergio Perez explained it like this:
“Having so many people in the stands feels amazing. Our sophomore year the stands were crowded but not as much as this year. Over the years, it’s just all come together. I think it’s really all the work we have put in. It was the plan to bring Garland High School back to its glory days. It’s amazing.”
And they are both correct. The Owls are winning big and working hard and so far this year they are undefeated. There is absolutely something special going on. And, it really is amazing.
The Owls definitely have the skill. The camaraderie and chemistry are there. And, the evidence of four years of hard work and playing together is there.
Russell, who started his coaching career at GHS when he was 29, had never thought about teaching or coaching. He had always thought he’d graduate college and make good money, and he was doing that. However, he wasn’t happy. When he got the opportunity, he decided to give teaching/coaching a try.
“Here I am 27 years later and I love it every day,” he said.
Photo by Roger Mathis, www.mempics.com
As a student, Russell was involved in everything he could find time for. He played multiple sports, was in the band as a sophomore and was involved in several other activities.
“When I was at Garland High School, nobody ever told me no. If a student wanted to be involved in something, they figured out a way to make it happen,” he said. “That stuck with me and I encourage my kids to get involved.”
There are coaches who tell their players that they should just stick with football and not play other sports. However, Russell disagrees.
“They only go through high school once and they need to be involved in everything they want,” he said.
Russell attributes the large crowds at the games in part to the huge alumni base.
“I really think this place is special in a lot of aspects and I think one of them is the tradition of the Garland Owls,” he said.
The coaching staff knew what this group of players would eventually be capable of. They also knew that throwing the football was going to be their strength.
“We have a quarterback that is adept at doing it and receivers that can run and are very adept at catching it and seldom drop anything,” Russell said.
He explained that in some sports programs coaches want to mold a kid into what he sees them doing. He feels that good coaches will make everything work toward the strengths of that kid.
“That’s the kid that has the ball in his hands every single time,” Russell said. “So if his strength is throwing the football and we’ve got the ability, we’re going to do that. That also lends itself to big plays.”
He added that there aren’t that many players that have the ability to do it consistently the way the Owls’ quarterback Cergio Perez does.
“He’s special. His ability and work ethic are tremendous. He studies the game and he has since he was a young kid. He’s the kid that leaves here and goes to quarterback training somewhere else,” Russell said.
It wasn’t by chance that this group of players ended up at Garland HS.
“There are some of us who have been on varsity since sophomore year and there’s a connection and chemistry between us,” Perez said. “We went to Coyle Middle School and Bussey Middle School and played in the championship against each other… After the game we all just said, ‘Let’s go to Garland.’ and it happened.”
Russell believes that 10-12 of the seniors will get scholarships. Three have already made commitments. Jordan Hudson and Chace Biddle are going to SMU and Perez is going to the
University of South Dakota. Several others, including Jayshon Powers, Aaron King, Charles Allen and Ellis Rogers have offers.
Perez is excited about college.
“The first time I went up to South Dakota I loved every second of it and it just felt right and I felt at home,” he said.
Russell stressed that a season like this is in part a result of the support they receive. It takes more than the players and coaches. It all happens thanks to the parents and the booster club as well as the school administration and people in the athletic office. It’s also thanks to the kids in the band, the drill team, bell guard, cheerleaders and the people who come to the games.”
“Also. our principal, Holly Hines supports us 100% and does everything she can to help,” he said. “Everyone deserves credit. We are all in this thing together.”