The Houston Independent School District will host a grand opening celebration to mark the completion of the new Delmar Fieldhouse, which was constructed as part of the voter-approved 2012 Bond Program.
The first games to be played in the new facility will follow that afternoon, as eight HISD boys’ high school basketball teams take to the court, which features a star representing the HISD logo and an image of the Houston skyline.
George Walker poses for a photograph at Butler Stadium, January 31, 2017.
George Walker Jr. is an accomplished athlete who was All-American and All-State in football at Westbury High School, graduated in 2004, and went on to play for the University of Texas. Now he is back at HISD, where he was recently named stadium director of the Joe Kelly Butler Athletic Complex – the first African American to hold the position. In this edition of I Am HISD, Walker talks about his new role and how he benefitted from participating in sports.
You grew up in HISD and were a star student athlete at Westbury. What sports did you participate in and what impact did your involvement in sports have on you?
I participated in football, basketball, and track. I was All-American and All-State in football, and was honorable mention in All-State in basketball. I went to the regionals in track. Then I got a scholarship to college for doing something I loved. When you’re involved in sports, you make memories that can get you through tough times, and you learn to fight through things together with your teammates. It also teaches perseverance. You learn never to give up. The sooner you learn that the better off you’ll be going through life. Continue reading
Furr High School football coach Matthew Valmore was recently nominated for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award by the NFL Foundation for his leadership, dedication to the community, and commitment to player health and safety and on-field success.
“I am humbled, honored, and very appreciative to be considered for such a prestigious award,” Valmore said. “It almost feels like a dream.”
Valmore is among 32 high school football coaches from across the country nominated by a NFL team for the national award, which is named for the winningest coach in NFL history. He was nominated by the Houston Texans after the team selected him as a High School Coach of the Week in November. Continue reading
High school students took the field on Thursday during the fourth annual Special Olympics Field Days at Butler Stadium, participating in sports such as football, basketball, track, and soccer. The events give students with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to showcase their athletic skills by taking part in fun athletic contests. Elementary school students will have their field day next week on Nov. 17, which will conclude the event this year.
Four HISD schools earned a big victory from the Houston Texans and the Texas Children’s Hospital by winning an NFL PLAY 60 grant that will fund new equipment for P.E., sports, and after-school programs to help get kids moving.
Mitchell Elementary School, Attucks Middle School, and Westbury High School each won a $10,000 grant while Blackshear Elementary School received a $5,000 grant. Representatives from the schools were recognized during the halftime presentation of the Houston Texans game Oct. 2 at NRG Stadium.
Bellaire High School Baseball Head Coach Rocky Manuel announced this week that he will retire after 35 years coaching baseball at HISD.
Principal Michael McDonough, Coach Nick Ozuna, Coach Rocky Manuel
Manuel led the Bellaire baseball team for 25 years. The team went to the state championship tournament three times, while winning the state championship in 1994 and 1999. In 1999, USA Today named Manuel as National Coach of the Year and the Bellaire team was recognized as national champions. Under Manuel’s leadership, over 200 Bellaire baseball players graduated and moved on to play Division I baseball at colleges and universities throughout the country. Seven of those former players continued on to play professionally at the major league level.
For employees and visitors at Houston Independent School District’s Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, watching the new Delmar Fieldhouse take shape over the last several months has been a site to see.
The 55-year-old athletic complex was demolished in March 2014 to make room for a $35.2 million facility that will be part of the new Delmar-Tusa Athletic Complex. Part of the bond program, the new three-story, 139,000-square-foot facility will serve as a multipurpose facility for the district.
Since construction began, construction crews have been working nonstop completing the installation of underground electrical and plumbing lines, steel beam erection and wall construction.
“We’ve received permanent power to the facility, so that would be considered a major milestone,” said Claude Yoas, Senior Project Manager with Rice & Gardner Consultants, who were hired to provide project management services for the project.
Some building features for the fieldhouse include a basketball and volleyball arena, modern locker and training rooms, and ample athletic storage for the complex’s existing stadium and ball fields.
Despite recent severe weather in Houston, Yoas says construction is still moving forward quickly and is visible.
“The rain hurt us just a little bit, but obviously it would be a delay for any work coming out of the ground,” said Yoas.
The athletic complex is scheduled to be finished this summer and open in time to host fall athletic events.
Trustees also approve renaming Reagan High School, new name for Grady Middle School
The Houston Independent School District Board of Education voted Thursday to postpone consideration of a plan detailing how funding will be distributed to campuses across the district for the 2016-2017 school year. Continue reading
HISD’s own Sam Houston Running Tigers got a raucous send-off Thursday before they head to the state boys’ basketball semi-finals this weekend for the first time since 1988, and fans are being encouraged to show their support by attending Friday’s game or cheering the team on through social media.
Students and staff – along with members of the school’s 1988 state basketball championship team – gathered at Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center for the morning rally before the Tigers’ trip to San Antonio, where they will take on the Atascocita HS Eagles (Humble ISD) in the initial 6A division match-up at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Alamodome. The winner of that game will play against either the DeSoto Eagles (DeSoto ISD) or the Steele HS Knights (Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD) the following night at 8:30 p.m. for the state championship.
All Houston Independent School District athletic activities scheduled for today — Tuesday, March 8, 2016 — have been canceled due to pending inclement weather.
The cancellation affects all HISD baseball, softball, and soccer games. Games will be rescheduled for a later date. All other afterschool activities will be left up to individual campus discretion.
HISD officials will continue to monitor weather conditions throughout the night in anticipation of storms and heavy rains that forecasters have said could cause flooding and potentially dangerous driving conditions throughout the city.
The safety of our students and staff – and their families – is always our first consideration when making these decisions. Any additional closures or cancellations will be announced early Wednesday morning, after district officials have had the opportunity to assess weather and road conditions.
For additional updates, please visit www.houstonisd.org, or call the HISD Inclement Weather Hotline at 713-267-1704. You can sign up for HISD text message alerts to receive updates on school weather conditions by texting YES to 68453. You also can follow the district on Twitter and Facebook: twitter.com/houstonisd and facebook.com/houstonisd.