18handicap
07-18-2007, 06:12 AM
Surovik named football coach at Columbia
By Joel Luna
The Facts
Published July 18, 2007
WEST COLUMBIA — Having waited patiently for his opportunity, Columbia’s Leland Surovik finally will get his chance.
The Columbia-Brazoria ISD board Tuesday night approved the hiring of the nine-year defensive coordinator for the Columbia Roughnecks as head football coach. Besides serving as the defensive coordinator, Surovik also was the assistant head coach for the last six years under Brian Lane.
“It feels awesome, I can’t even describe it,” Surovik said. “I would assume that being here for the last nine years and being involved in the community probably helped me a lot.”
Out of 15 applicants for the position, seven were scheduled to be interviewed, but only four showed up at the process. Including Surovik, also interviewed were Rob Davies from Class 5A South Grand Prairie, and Columbia’s boys head basketball coach, John Vernor, and offensive coordinator Shane Armbrister.
“The program is already set in and I hope to be able to continue to continue the progress forward and keep the winning tradition,” Surovik said. “I hope to keep all the coaches as well.”
A 1996 graduate of Southwest Texas State, now called Texas State, Surovik joined the La Marque program that season in the fall. As the linebacker-secondary coach along with special teams coordinator, he helped guide the Class 4A Cougars to the 1996 and 1997 state championships.
He joined Lane at Columbia in 1998 and helped build one of the top 10 defenses in the Houston area.
Since 2003, he has been the school’s powerlifting head coach and has helped build a strong program that included two-time state champion Jordan Barrett in 2006 and 2007.
Lane had served both as athletics director and head football coach. However, the athletics director position was not filled at this time.
“The recommendation was that Leland would be the right man to continue our excellence that we’ve shown in the football program,” board president Lynn Klement said. “So that is the decision that was made at this point and time.
“The decision was also made that Leland would take over as the head football coach and the administrative duties associated with athletics director position will be done on an interim basis by Steve Galloway, the principal at the high school.”
The ’Necks have been in the playoffs four of the last six season. Columbia finished 8-5 last season, making it to the Class 3A, Region III, Division I final.
By Joel Luna
The Facts
Published July 18, 2007
WEST COLUMBIA — Having waited patiently for his opportunity, Columbia’s Leland Surovik finally will get his chance.
The Columbia-Brazoria ISD board Tuesday night approved the hiring of the nine-year defensive coordinator for the Columbia Roughnecks as head football coach. Besides serving as the defensive coordinator, Surovik also was the assistant head coach for the last six years under Brian Lane.
“It feels awesome, I can’t even describe it,” Surovik said. “I would assume that being here for the last nine years and being involved in the community probably helped me a lot.”
Out of 15 applicants for the position, seven were scheduled to be interviewed, but only four showed up at the process. Including Surovik, also interviewed were Rob Davies from Class 5A South Grand Prairie, and Columbia’s boys head basketball coach, John Vernor, and offensive coordinator Shane Armbrister.
“The program is already set in and I hope to be able to continue to continue the progress forward and keep the winning tradition,” Surovik said. “I hope to keep all the coaches as well.”
A 1996 graduate of Southwest Texas State, now called Texas State, Surovik joined the La Marque program that season in the fall. As the linebacker-secondary coach along with special teams coordinator, he helped guide the Class 4A Cougars to the 1996 and 1997 state championships.
He joined Lane at Columbia in 1998 and helped build one of the top 10 defenses in the Houston area.
Since 2003, he has been the school’s powerlifting head coach and has helped build a strong program that included two-time state champion Jordan Barrett in 2006 and 2007.
Lane had served both as athletics director and head football coach. However, the athletics director position was not filled at this time.
“The recommendation was that Leland would be the right man to continue our excellence that we’ve shown in the football program,” board president Lynn Klement said. “So that is the decision that was made at this point and time.
“The decision was also made that Leland would take over as the head football coach and the administrative duties associated with athletics director position will be done on an interim basis by Steve Galloway, the principal at the high school.”
The ’Necks have been in the playoffs four of the last six season. Columbia finished 8-5 last season, making it to the Class 3A, Region III, Division I final.