GALVESTON — David Suggs has been given the assignment of leading the Ball High football team back to gridiron glory.
The Galveston Independent School District board unanimously approved the hire of the 49-year-old Aldine Nimitz head coach as the high school’s next athletic coordinator/head football coach on Wednesday. He replaces Ron Holmes, who announced his retirement after six seasons as the Tornadoes’ head football coach.
Suggs was selected for the position over Houston Austin’s Pete Gareri Jr. and Eastern Hill’s Othell Robinson.
“I don’t have a ‘S’ on my chest, even though my last name is Suggs,” he jokingly told the school board followed his approval. “But believe me — every fiber that I have in my body, in my spirit and in my soul will help Ball High, Galveston ISD and the city of Galveston, recover and move forward. Rest assured of that.”
Suggs has a 60-37 record in his 11 seasons as a head coach. He also has coached at Fort Bend Willowridge (1998-2000), Port Arthur Lincoln (2001), Beaumont Central (2002-03).
Suggs also was an assistant at La Marque under Alan Weddell from 1990-93. Ball opens up the 2009 season against those same Cougars.
“It’s going to be very different,” Suggs said. “I remember when I first moved to Texas, that was the first game I coached in. It was unbelievable amount of energy around the game. Now, I’m going right back in it, just on the other side. It’s going to be interesting.”
Suggs takes over a program that failed to live up to expectations in recent seasons. In Holmes’ six seasons, the Tors went 23-37 with their best season (8-2 in 2005) getting wiped off the books because of an ineligible player.
Ball went just 2-5 in a season that was nearly wiped out by Hurricane Ike after the first game.
Participation numbers are down with the Ball football program since the hurricane, and the Kermit Courville Stadium facilities were severely damaged in the storm. Suggs said he knows by accepting this job, it’s going to take a lot of work to get the program back on track.
“We are going to have some challenges in front of us,” Suggs said. “But the energy is there, the excitement is there, and the commitment is there. That gives you a more sense of ease, knowing that you have people that are backing you, and you are going to do this together.”
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Bio Box
David Suggs’ Head Coaching Career
• 60-37 career record
• 28-23 in five seasons at Aldine Nimitz (2004-08)
• 18-6 in two seasons at Beaumont Central (2002-03)
• 8-3 in one season at Port Arthur Lincoln (2001)
• 18-13 in three seasons at Fort Bend Willowridge (1998-2000)
