New AD/HC at Diboll will be... [Archive]

mistanice

06-30-2008, 12:47 PM

The search has finally ended and the Diboll Lumberjacks will have a new Athletic Director and Head Football Coach in place Monday, July 7. Incoming Diboll I.S.D. Superintendent Gary Martel made the exclusive announcement to the Diboll Free Press Monday morning.
Taking the reins on the Lumberjacks and Lady Jacks sports program will be East Texas Native Thomas Sheppard, he graduated from Athens in 1989, who most recently served as the Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Athletic Director at Tatum High School.

His duties will not only include the position of Head Football Coach, but he will also oversee the entire Diboll I.S.D. Athletics Dept.

Sheppard, 42, is married to Michelle, also a teacher in Tatum currently. “It doesn't hurt to get someone like his wife Michelle in our district either, she is an excellent educator herself,” Martel said.

“She looks forward to coming over to Diboll as well,” Sheppard said.

The couple has four children, three boys ages 5, 13 and 15 and their oldest a girl is 18. Their oldest daughter will be attending Northwestern State next year, where she received a scholarship as a trainer; she was the trainer in Tatum throughout high school.

“I am happy for Coach Sheppard, his wife Michelle and family as they begin another chapter in their lives,” Martel said.

Sheppard has done some winning in that time, with a pair of Texas State Championships, one in Class 3A and another in Class 2A. They also followed that up with another appearance this past season in the Class 2A State Final.

“He has a blueprint on how to get to the next level as evidence by his success at Tatum,” Martel said.

Sheppard comes to Diboll with a lot of experience and he is excited about the opportunity to get started.

“I am fired up about it,” Sheppard said.

Martel is no stranger to Sheppard, as the pair worked together in Anahuac where Sheppard served as Martel’s Offensive Coordinator for the Panthers and spent five seasons there from 1999-2003.

Do not expect any changes to the coaching staff in Diboll, as Sheppard is happy to be working with this group.

“I don’t plan on making any changes,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard remarked on the great students that Diboll has, and they remind him a lot of the players that he worked with in Tatum. “This is a great bunch of kids,” Sheppard said.

Sheppard is very excited about working with administration and was very complimentary of them. He was excited they chose him over what he feels were some great coaching candidates.

“It was just a great compliment that they chose me,” Sheppard stated.

Sheppard plans on coming into town this week and hopes to get an opportunity to meet with the kids and community as soon as he can.

The students mean a lot to Sheppard and he plans on hammering home their need for a quality education in that process. “I want great athletes, but I want even better students,” Sheppard inferred.

On the Lumberjacks preseason accolades, and more specifically the No. 22 ranking in the Texas 3A Preseason Football Poll, Sheppard credits the Diboll’s past efforts on the field.

“Its and opportunity and it shows you how Diboll has done in the past,” Sheppard said.

On the other hand Sheppard is quick to point out that preseason accolades are nice, but he is more concerned with the Jacks playing ten football games first. “It’s the ranking at the end of the season that means the most,” he exclaimed.

The final candidates were announced late last week and the search committee and Martel have worked very hard to make a final decision. “I know the interview team did a great job in the process,” Martel noted.

That list of candidates was as follows; Paul Walker (Crosby assistant coach), Glen Turnstall (former athletic director/head coach at Palestine), Paul Essary (Deer Park defensive coordinator), Tom Shepherd (Tatum defensive coordinator), Wayne Mahaffey (former Rusk athletic director) and Terry Johnson (Diboll assistant head coach).

“I was very pleased with the all of the individuals that we had apply,” Martel said.

The former Missouri Valley Vikings Quarterback will be bringing his leadership to the program, and it will certainly be good for the Lumberjacks to meet the new coach and keep heading towards the upcoming season in a positive environment.

“We are getting a tireless worker who will be great for the Diboll girls and boys program. I know this community will welcome him to our family,” Martel said in closing.

As for the Lumberjacks and Sheppard himself, “I was ready to go yesterday.”

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