Ray Woodard talks about Dan Hooks’ retirement

[Guest bigred360]

Ray Woodard was just getting started in coaching at Kilgore College in 1988 when he visited Dan Hooks at West Orange-Stark.

 

“He’s the one who got me started down here,” Woodard said Friday after he learned that Hooks is retiring after 30 years of coaching high school football.

 

Woodard’s cousin, Charlie, was the head coach at Silsbee, “and the first place he sent me was to coach Hooks,” Ray Woodard said. “He bent over backwards for me. I signed three players off his state championship teams and he’s been a good friend ever since.”

 

Woodard said the three WO-S players later helped Kilgore to a junior college conference championship. The roots planted way back then are what helped Woodard get familiar enough with Southeast Texas to eventually become Lamar University’s head coach.

 

http://blog.beaumontenterprise.com/inthecards/2011/03/18/ray-woodard-talks-about-dan-hooks-retirement/