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2008-09 Ranger football coaches |
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Coach J.J. Eckert - Head Coach
Eckert
is in his second year at Kilgore College as head coach, but is no stranger to KC football supporters. Eckert was the offensive coordinator for the Rangers from 2001-2004, before accepting a head coaching job with Garden City where his teams compiled a 13-8 record and appeared in the 2005 Dixie Rotary Bowl in St. George, Utah. As Kilgore’s offensive coordinator, Eckert was a part of Kilgore’s 2001 and 2004 SWJCFC’s championship teams. |
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Russell Thompson - Defensive Coordinator
Thompson is
a native of Jacksonville, spent four years at KC from 2000-2003. Prior to coming to Kilgore College, Coach Thompson spent the 2005-06 seasons at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan. as defensive line coach helping the Broncbusters reach the 2005 Dixie Rotatry Bowl. The 2004 season was spent at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas as the defensive line coach. During the 2000-2003 seasons at Kilgore, Coach Thompson coached the running backs. Thompson has also coached at Sulphur High School in Oklahoma, and East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. |
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Jordan Lesley - Linebackers
Lesley
is beginning his second season at Kilgore College as the linebackers coach. Prior to coming to Kilgore, Lesley spent two seasons as a graduate assistant with defense at his alma mater, Troy University, helping the Trojans to the 2006 Sun Belt Conference Championship and to a victory over Rice in the New Orleans Bowl. Coach Lesley attended Troy University 2000-2004 where he was a four-year letter winner and a two-year starter at tight-end and was elected a team captain in 2004. Lesley earned his Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management in 2005 and earned his Master's Degree in Sport Management in 2007. |
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Stevie Moore - Defensive Backs
Moore is beginning his second season with the Ranger football program as the defensive back coach. Prior to coming to Kilgore, Moore was the defensive back coach for Garden City Community College. Coach Moore attended Kilgore College from 1993-1995 where he played receiver for former Kilgore College Coach Marion Turner. He later transferred to West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where he continued to play receiver from 1995-1997. The native of Washington, Texas, was a football standout at Brenham High School where he earned all-district honors and all region honors as a defensive back. |
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Willie Gooden - Offensive Line
Gooden, a native of Hempstead, begins his second season as the Ranger offensive line coach. Prior to coming to Kilgore, Coach Gooden spent the last three seasons at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., as defensive line coach. In 2005, Gooden graduated from NSU and became a graduate assistant defensive line coach for Northeastern. In 2006, Gooden took over the defensive line. He began his playing career at KC in 2000 and earned all-conference recognition in 2000-2001. He was also a part of the undefeated 2001 Ranger team that was ranked No. 2 in the nation. He earned all-conference recognition both years at NSU from 2002 - 2003. He and his wife, Tonya Norman Gooden, were married in July.
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Pat Gilbert - Assistant Coach
Gilbert, a native of LaMarque, begins his first season as the Rangers' running back coach. Prior to coming to KC, Coach Gilbert spent the last three years at Northeastern State University, earning second-team all-conference honors and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Health and Human Performance. He began his playing career at KC in 2000 and was also a part of the 2001 undefeated Ranger team that was ranked No. 2 in the nation. |
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Steve Waalwyk - Tight Ends Coach
Waalwyk begins his first season as the Rangers' student assistant tight end coach. Prior to coming to KC, Coach Waalwyk spent nine years serving in the United States Air Force. He was also a receivers coach for the Bitburg Barons in Bitburg, Germany, during the 2005-06 season, assisting them to a D.O.D.S. European championship over the Naple Wildcats. Coach Waalwyk is currently a student at KC, pursuing an associate's degree in arts. A native of Houston, Waalwyk attended Eisenhower High School. His wife, Trista Stewart Waalwyk, is from Hallsville and an alumni of East Texas Baptist University. |
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Jerry Grafton - Director of Football Operations
Grafton is beginning his eighth year at KC and his first as Director of Football Operations for the Rangers. Grafton served as a volunteer for Kilgore High School for 17 years, and Carlisle High School for four. He served in the United States Navy for six years as a Hospital Naval Corpsman at M.C.D.E.C. in Quantico, Va., and at N.A.S. in Willow Grove, Pa. Grafton served as a trainer at M.C.D.E.C. for cross-country, track, football and wrestling. |
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Gary Wade - Assistant Coach
Gary Wade is entering his first year as a Ranger assistant coach this year. With Wade's lifelong love and knowledge of football, he will serve as a recruiter and assistant coach for the Rangers. Wade is an owner of the famous Boomtown BBQ located on Hwy. 259 in Kilgore, a favorite eating spot for many community members. |
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Paul Burgos - Student Assistant Coach
Burgos is the Rangers' student assistant coach. Burgos played in the spring of 2008 for the Rangers, but suffered a career-ending shoulder injury. He graduated from Rockwall High School and was a member of the Yellowjackets football program as a standout player. Burgos is planning to pursue a career as a football coach. |
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Copyrights by Kilgore College, 2000 - 2008 Kilgore College, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, Texas 75662-3204 | 903-984-8531 If you experience any problems with this page, please contact our webmaster. To unsubscribe from our newsletter, please click here. Sitemap
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