Goad resigns from LISD

By Alonzo Garza
POST-REGISTER

Only two years into his brief tenure at Lockhart High School, Head Football Coach and Boys” Athletic Director Les Goad made a quick, clean break from the Lockhart Independent School District system to join the Navarro Panthers of Geronimo on Monday, June 25.
By Tuesday morning, the news was out and it traveled faster than Goad

could get out of a maroon and white shirt. By Wednesday noon it was official. Goad had turned in his letter of resignation to Central Office and the search for a new head football coach was on.
According to the LISD Interim Superintendent, Susan Brooks, “the position has been posted on the Internet and we are doing everything we can to hire someone.”
Brooks went on to say that they were talking to viable candidates and insisted that the search was going on as quickly and as carefully as possible.
“We will try to place someone as soon as possible while following all the district rules,” she said.
When asked if the district would have someone in place by July 13, she reiterated the fact that the district would do what it could as soon as it could. Brooks added that Coach Scott Hippensteel had been appointed Interim Athletic Director and would “lead the charge to hire someone. Coach Hippensteel will be working with me to find the best-qualified candidate. We are looking for the very best qualified candidate that has the best interest of the kids in mind.”
Goad leaves the Lockhart Lions with an 8-12 record. His two district seasons at Lockhart High School were 4-6. He did work very hard to get the football program going at LHS. The general feeling from most of the coaches was that their football program was getting stronger. The student athletes were responding well to his coaching and the varsity teams made a lot of positive gains during Goad”s stay.
“He”s done a lot,” said Girls Athletic Director and Coach Dave Johnston. “He worked very hard and he was very dedicated to our school and the athletes. The kids were buying into the system. A lot of gains were made. Our sub groups had success. The freshman team, the sophomores, and our Varsity teams they all fought hard. I really think we were turning the corner.”
When asked about what was needed to keep from losing any gains Johnston said, “We want to keep the momentum rolling,” he said. “You know, a lot of confidence building. Move on. The freshman and sophomores need to keep building on their success.”
Goad was equally optimistic about the Lions” future. He said he saw, “some really good things coming for the Lions.”
Goad said there are plenty of things he will miss about the Lockhart program.
“I really just want to say that I wish everyone all the best,” he said. “I want to say thank you to all the people, the students and families that gave me all the support. Good luck to everyone. Good things are coming.
“One of the most difficult things to deal with when you have to make a decision like this is consider all the great things you are leaving behind,” he said. “I”m going to miss out. I”m the one that is going to miss out on all the great things that are coming over the horizon for the Lockhart athletic program.”
Goad sounded sincere and a bit nostalgic as he contemplated having made his decision to move on.
The last time Goad made a similar move was from San Marcos to Lockhart back in 2005. He had spent three years as an offensive coordinator for the Rattlers before taking on the Head Football Coach position at Lockhart High School. Goad also spent one year (2001) at Liberty Hill as head coach and another (1999) at New Braunfels Canyon also as a head coach.
Goad will be replacing Lin Havron at Geronimo. Havron resigned last month. He had been the Panthers” head coach for the last ten years and led them to seven playoffs. The Navarro team finished 8-3 last year.
agarza@post-register.com