Texas City tabs Surovik to lead Stings

TEXAS CITY — Leland Surovik will be the next athletic director and head football coach at Texas City.

The Texas City school board approved his hire during a special-called meeting Tuesday night. Surovik holds the same positions at Class 3A Columbia High School in West Columbia.

“I can’t say enough about how excited I am about the opportunity,” Surovik said. “Texas City has great facilities, a great tradition of winning, and I’m excited about getting back to Galveston County football.”

Surovik, who began his coaching career in 1996 in La Marque, replaces Tim Finn, who announced his resignation Dec. 9.

“We believe coach Surovik is truly the right match for the Texas City ISD,” said co-interim Superintendent Diane Martin, who recommended hiring Surovik. “He is an outstanding coach and an experienced athletic director. He has developed a winning (football) program in Columbia, and we have confidence that Texas City ISD’s programs will advance to the next level under his leadership.”

Surovik will be paid between $90,000 and $100,000 a year, school district officials said. His final contract is yet to be negotiated.

Surovik bested four other finalists for the job — Deer Park head coach Chris Massey, Fort Bend Hightower head coach Barry Abercrombie, Wimberley head coach Weldon Nelms and North Shore defensive coordinator John Kay.

Surovik has coached at Class 3A Columbia since 1998, serving as defensive and special teams coordinators until becoming head coach in 2007. Since then, Columbia has enjoyed much success, including back-to-back trips to the state semifinals in 2010 and 2011.

Surovik was a secondary/special teams coach at La Marque from 1996 to 1998. He graduated from Southwest Texas State in 1996.

“I would have been happy with picking any of the five finalists,” school board president Hal Biery said.

Surovik is expected to be in Texas City today to meet with members of the school board.