LAVACA– Feature stories on athletes, coaches, and fans across our company’s footprint are some of the most enjoyable stories we have the pleasure to bring to you from RNN Sports.
And when our office was contacted with the suggestion of writing a story on a father and son who are coaching at Lavaca High School, we jumped at the opportunity.
Longtime Lavaca coach, Mark Headley, is finishing his 27th year in education. And as a bonus to his coaching career, Coach Headley had the pleasure of coaching with his son, Hayden, over the past 2023-24 school year. A rare pleasure for coaches, and one that makes for a great story in River Valley sports.
Recently, RNN Sports had the opportunity to visit with Coach Mark Headley in a telephone interview for this story. And in doing so, we were in for a surprise.
Coach Headley told us that it was coincidental that we had contacted him to do this story. You see, it just happens that this current school year will be his last to coach at Lavaca. Mark is set to become the district’s athletic director starting next school year. So, as fate would have it, the timing of this story could not have been better.
In our experiences and interactions with the many coaches across the River Valley, it has and continues to be our pleasure and privilege to interact with so many quality people who dedicate their careers to making a positive difference in the lives of young people.
And longtime Lavaca coaching legend, Mark Headley, is certainly no exception. He cares deeply about making a positive difference in the lives of young people, and he is a credit to the Lavaca community and the coaching profession.
Coach Headley graciously agreed to take the time for an interview, and we thank him for doing so and for contributing to this story.
Our conversation began with his tenure at Lavaca as a coach. Coach Headley began by saying, “This is year twenty-seven. I started at Lavaca when I was 22 after graduating from Arkansas Tech. Originally, I was just going to take an elementary physical education job, and then a coaching position became open. So, I applied and was eventually paired as an assistant coach and an elementary PE teacher. I went to high school at Lavaca and graduated in 1992. I tell people pretty much that I bleed purple and gold. I married a Lavaca girl, Dasha Helms, and I am a Lavaca Golden Arrow, 100%.”
We talked a little about the Lavaca football program and the upward trajectory the program has experienced over the past four years. Coach explained, “I really feel like coaching is a calling, and I tried to live it like that. We’ve been competitive at times, and we had some rough years. But my wife was always good about reminding me what we are in it for, and one of the biggest things that I have enjoyed about my time at Lavaca has been about the relationships. I think that everything in education is about relationships with your players, co-workers, and assistant coaches. So that has been a big goal of mine. I have coached every sport here, boys and girls, except for cross country and golf. So, I’ve tried to make not only a good athlete on the field, but hopefully that can learn something that they can take with them for the rest of their lives.”
Knowing a little bit about how the coaching profession works and how opportunities in larger markets can present themselves, we asked Coach Headley about turning down such opportunities to remain at Lavaca his entire career. That scenario is becoming increasingly rare in the profession as coaches climb the career ladder to bigger and more high-profile positions.
When I asked Coach about this, he replied, “I have had some offers and have visited with other people (representatives of other districts). But ultimately, it has always come down to this (Lavaca) being my home. “Small Town USA” seems to be pushed aside a little bit, and I am still all about that. I believe in community, and I believe in relationships with the people in the community. It has been important to me. I have invested into it and so have my wife and kids. That is our whole life.”
From the athletes’ standpoint, it is reassuring to have stability in the school’s coaching staff. Knowing who your coach will be and that it is unlikely to have an abrupt coaching change, is comforting to players. Coach Headley continues to be a trusted member of the staff that brings stability to Lavaca athletics. It is rare to see in today’s world, and Lavaca is very fortunate to be the beneficiary of his long-term commitment to the Arrows athletic department.
And that long-term commitment will continue next year for Coach Headley. Coach will begin the 2024-25 school year as the district’s athletic director. In doing so, he will bring a unique awareness of both history and vision to the Arrow’s athletic department. Although fans may not see him coaching on the field, Coach Headley will continue to work behind the scenes, having a positive impact on Lavaca sports with his guidance and support of all athletic programs in the district. Again, Lavaca is very fortunate to have a high character and successful coach of over 27 years leading and mentoring the younger and future coaches at Lavaca.
Coach Headley has had a positive impact on coaches around him his entire career. But perhaps none more meaningful and fulfilling than that of the past school year when he had the opportunity to coach with his son, Hayden.
The obvious first question I asked Coach Headley was how it had been coaching both football and baseball this past school year with his son, Hayden. Coach quickly responded, saying, “It has been pretty cool. This is my last year to coach, and I was blessed to be able to hire Hayden. I honestly didn’t know that everything was going to work out that I was going to step down this year. But it is neat now looking back that his first year to coach was my last.”
One of Coach Headley’s first tasks will be to recommend his successors for both football and baseball. Coach shared that the district is in the early stages of those processes. Coach indicated that he will be involved along with the high school principal and the rest of the administration in both searches.
Lavaca should attract a lot of interest from coaches across the state. Lavaca has good programs, a good school system, and a community that is supportive and offers a good quality of life.
Coach expounded on this by saying, “Small school programs, you are going to cycle through sometimes with good groups and some years not-so-talented groups. But you have to love them all and coach them all. I’ve enjoyed that process. It’s stressful at times because some years you will have groups where you really have to coach them up and just do the best you can and still love them. One of the things that I try to impress upon our younger coaches is that you have to give them (players) time. It’s one of those things that I believe in kids; and I have seen kids that come on in the 7th grade and you might not think they were going to develop into good players in high school go on to do great things later as athletes (speaking of their development as players.) It is important because, you know as well as I do, that some of these kids will mature and suddenly they are ready to play. I think sometimes we write off some kids way too early. I think it is important for our coaches to build that relationship and stick with them (the players). Our kids want to be a part of the program, and we need to help them get there (in their development as players.)”
Coach Headley shared that the Lavaca school district administration and school board were very supportive in the hire of his son, Hayden. And with Coach’s move from coaching to a new role as athletic director, Hayden’s assignment next year has not been finalized yet as of the deadline for this story. But that decision, along with others that will be made for next year, are now ongoing and are expected to be finalized soon.
Coach Headley described Hayden by saying, “Hayden is really intrinsically driven. He just works hard at everything he does. My son enjoyed agriculture and animal science in school. He went on to get an animal sciences degree in college. So, I didn’t try to push him into coaching or push hin into education. He later worked at another business for a few years and then we ended up hiring here at Lavaca as our maintenance director. Hayden had helped and volunteered a little bit with us in both practices and games. He eventually came to me and said, “Dad, I think I would like to get into coaching.” So, like I have said, I think coaching is a calling. It’s not just a job. He goes back, passes the PRAXIS (teachers’ exam) and is in a masters degree program now. Now, I know he is where he needs to be. He has great drive, and he motivates me, honestly. He brings great energy and excitement back to our programs.”
As we wrapped up our visit, Coach Headley shared with me what coaching is in his opinion. Coach said, “It can’t just be showing up. You have to know that the reason you are there is to have a positive influence on kids. Whether it is in the classroom or on the field or court, a coach can affect more people in a year that other people can in a lifetime. More and more, we (coaches) are seeing kids more each day than their parents are. So, you (coaches) better be doing it right. And I will tell you, that is a burden for me. I have had a lot of good winning seasons and I have had some losing seasons. But I hope at the end of the day, it wasn’t just about the wins and losses. Believe me, I want to win, just like any other coach. But if that is all it has been about, and it has not been about the impact I have had on kids, then it has not been worth it.”
Coach Mark Headley will now pass the coaching torch to his son, Hayden. And my bet is that the caring and high integrity career of Mark Headley will continue long after Coach Headley’s eventual retirement. But for now, it will remain a family affair in Lavaca as Mark Headley, athletic director, will continue to see his son move on with his young coaching career.
It is a great story and is one that all community patrons in Lavaca can take great pride in knowing that their schools continue to have great character on their coaching staff.
Thanks again to coach Mark Headley, and we wish him and Hayden the best of success as they both move forward in their respective careers.
