Chris' "Coach Wil" story

Back in the day.

With permission from Chris Albracht ... Thanks, Chris!

CHRIS ALBRACHT

The year was 1987. I was working the annual National Women’s Invitational Tournament (NWIT) at the Amarillo Civic Center when I first met Jim Wilcoxson. At the time, Jim was the head girls coach at Tascosa High School and I was familiar with him from his stint at Amarillo College working for Kelly Chadwick, who I worked for in 1981-82.

“If I ever get a sound system, would you be willing to do Public Address for me?” he asked.

“Sure. Just let me know,” I replied.

This same question and answer would be repeated at the next four tournaments, even after Jim moved over to Randall High School. Just after Christmas 1991, Jim called me at work at the Diocese of Amarillo. 

“I have a sound system,” he said. “You ready?”

And with that, I became a member of the Randall High School family. When the 2015-16 school year begins later this summer, I will begin my 25^th year doing public address for the basketball teams, the Lady Raider soccer team and the Raider baseball team. I wouldn’t be doing what I do at Randall without Jim.

The 2015-16 season will be the 25^th anniversary of the first state championship that Jim coached at Randall. That was one of the most powerful basketball teams I’ve ever seen, and remember, I’ve seen a few from growing up during the beginning of the Nazareth basketball dynasty. These Lady Raiders could shoot the ball long range and could dominate inside. More importantly, they played pressure defense. Quicksilver basketball at its finest.

The second state championship team six seasons later was the surprise state championship team. In a region dominated by Canyon and Levelland, coached by two equally class acts in Joe Lombard and Dean Weese, Randall came alive in mid-January and claimed a second state title. When I glance at the two photos of the state title teams on the east wall in the House of Doom, I remember how I used to tell the Lady Raiders on the 1997-98 team that the walls were due for another state championship photo—and they delivered. It was one of the finest coaching jobs I was privy to witness.

As I said earlier, I would not be at Randall if it weren’t for Jim Wilcoxson, and I owe him and Raiders (boys' ) coach Leslie Broadhurst my eternal gratitude for getting that first PA system in what is now the House of Doom. 

Jim is a class act that always encouraged and got the best out of all his players, assistant coaches and his managers. He is a legend as far as I’m concerned and it was a blast to watch him coach and an honor to be a part a small part of his career at Randall. 

My prayer is that God will bless Jim and Nicki on this journey. They have a lot of people in their corner praying for them.