Victoria Advocate story on El Campo's Bob Gillis

EL CAMPO - Bob Gillis' coaching philosophy can be best described by a sign that hangs appropriately enough in the El Campo weight room.

"The pride and tradition of El Campo football - the legacy will be left up to you," is the message directed to every athlete who steps foot in the room.

Gillis emphasized the value of hard work during his two tenures as athletic director and head football coach at El Campo.

The result was evident in more than the win column.

The tally represented the respect and admiration Gillis won from fellow coaches, players, educators, administrators and fans.

He was elected president of the Texas High School Coaches Association and was inducted into its Hall of Honor last summer.

Gillis and his staff coached the South squad in what could be the final all-star football game.

Gillis' impact on Texas high school football was significant, and it will be felt for years to come despite his retirement from coaching at the end of the school year.

Gillis, 59, will go to work in a yet undetermined capacity for Houston orthopedic surgeon Dr. Walter Lowe and athletic trainer Bob Marley, who are trying to expand sports medicine statewide.

"I thought about it and prayed about it and really struggled with it because I don't think there's ever a right time because I love these kids and I think we have a chance to be pretty good next year," Gillis said. "But we've got a chance to be pretty good the next several years. There's never going to be the perfect time."

Gillis' father and brother were coaches and he knows how much he'll miss the day-to-day interaction with the players and coaches.

He expects the reality of retirement from the profession to hit him in August when he drives by Ricebird Stadium and the team has begun practice.

"Obviously you'll miss Friday nights, that's the icing on the cake," he said. "I'll miss practice. I love practice because Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is when you win games.

"I will miss preparing and planning on Sundays," he added. "I will miss the coaches and the comradery through the good and bad. I won't miss coming up here Saturday mornings after we get beat."

Gillis coached for 37 years, including 21 as the head coach at Columbus and El Campo.

He had an overall record of 173-60-2, made 14 playoff appearances, and led the Ricebirds to the 2012 Class 3A, Division I state final.

El Campo won the District 12-4A, Division I championship last season, advanced to the regional playoffs before losing to eventual state champion Navasota and finishing with an 11-2 record.

"Through the offseason program, we talk about how a lot of teams have boot camp for a week," Gillis said. "We convince our kids that we have boot camp every day. We're working for one goal and that's to win a game.

"You can talk to any kid right now and they'll tell you what I tell them before a game is we've got to play hard because if you play hard you'll always have a chance to win."

Gillis left coaching in 1997 after his brother, Clay, died in an airplane crash.

He worked in school administration and became the athletic director of the Victoria school district in 2000 before returning to El Campo as the athletic director and head football coach in 2003.

"The main thing is the people of El Campo - it's still a small town and they still want their kids to do right and act right and they support the coaches and they love football," Gillis said. "They let you do your job and the kids work hard. It's just one of the most unique places."

Gillis' new job will require him to travel, but he has no plans to move.

He and wife, Lisa, a counselor at the high school, raised their daughters, Cassie and Stacey, and son, Kyle, in El Campo.

Gillis also promises to be in the stands at Ricebird Stadium when El Campo opens the 2015 season against Gregory-Portland.

"The main thing I think about is how fortunate we all were," he said. "We got to come back to El Campo...we got to do a lot of neat things. I'm not an emotional guy, but...team-wise we won a lot of big games - we beat Carthage (in the 2012 semifinals) - I got to coach my son and our staff got to coach in the all-star game.

"Personally these things are all related because of El Campo and the staff. I've been very blessed and very fortunate to be able to come back here and coach back here and we think El Campo's home. Hopefully, we left this a better place."

Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or