Hall of Fame 2022

ATHLETICS

Tonight’s Program

INVOCATION

Joe Horton, South Houston High School Assistant Principal

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Bob Fawcett, Hall of Fame Committee Member

PRESENTATION OF COLORS

Bob Fawcett, Hall of Fame Committee Member

Sam Rayburn High School NJROTC

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Joe Horton, South Houston High School Assistant Principal

INTRODUCTIONS

Bill Barmore, Hall of Fame Chairman

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Jason Bristol, KHOU-TV (Channel 11) Anchor, Reporter & Journalist

SUPERINTENDENT’S WELCOME

Dr. DeeAnn Powell, Pasadena ISD Superintendent of Schools

HOUSTON METHODIST SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATIONS

Dr. Kenneth Brooks, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Physician

Kristin Salinas, Houston Methodist Clear Lake

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION & SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Terry Brotherton, Hall of Fame Committee Member

INDUCTION CEREMONY

Willy Raby – Sam Rayburn Track and Cross Country Coach

Marlen Esparza – Pasadena High School/Class of 2007

Charlie Goehring – Track and Cross Country Coach

TJ Mills – Pasadena High School/Class of 1972

Steve Prentice – South Houston High School/Class of 1970

Ron Schroeder – Sam Rayburn High School/Class of 1975

Bo Snelson – Pasadena Memorial High School/Class of 2009

Bryan Willingham – Pasadena High School/Class of 1971

Snelson Family including Billie Snelson, Andy Snelson & John Snelson

Girls Softball State Championship Team – J. Frank Dobie High School/1993

INTRODUCTION OF INDUCTEE SPEAKER

Herman Williams, Hall of Fame Vice-Chairman

INDUCTEE SPEAKER

Steve Prentice, 2020 Hall of Fame Inductee

PURCHASE GAME TICKETS ONLINE

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Welcome

A GLANCE AT TONIGHT’S ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME BANQUET

It is such an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of five outstanding Pasadena ISD alumni athletes, three coaches, and a team that knocked it out of the park by making history as the J. Frank Dobie High School state softball champions. We’re celebrating a lot of firsts this evening, including honoring our first Hall of Fame inductee family, Pasadena Memorial High School’s first inductee in PISD Hall of Fame history, and hosting this banquet at the Pasadena Convention Center.

Tonight, we honor:

• Willy Raby, Sam Rayburn High School Track and Cross Country Coach who led the Texans to two district titles and one regional title;

• Marlen Esparza, who has made waves in the news over the years for her illustrious boxing career;

• Charlie Goehring, a Pasadena High School graduate who coached track and cross-country in Pasadena ISD for more than 30 years;

• T.J. Mills, a graduate of Pasadena High School whose successful coaching career led Sealy’s football team to four-straight state titles;

• Steve Prentice, a South Houston High school swimmer who earned All-American honors in high school and qualified all four years for the NCAA at Texas A&M, setting records for multiple events;

• Ron Schroeder, Sam Rayburn High School alumnus and five-time Greater Houston Amateur Champion, who has been named the Southern Texas PGA Senior Player of the Year and winner of the Texas Open;

• Bo Snelson, the first Pasadena Memorial High School alumni athlete to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, who was named an Old Spice Red Zone National Player of the Year, a title given to only 50 football players in the U.S.

• Bryan Willingham, of Pasadena High School, who set a record with 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdown grabs during the 1971 Texas Coaches Association All-Star Football game;

• The Snelson Family, including Billie Snelson (former basketball and volleyball coach), Andy Snelson (a Sam Rayburn graduate and all-State sprinter in track and three-year letterman in football) and John Snelson (a four-year letterman in baseball, one of the top players all three years of football and the head football coach of the Pasadena Memorial Mavs, coaching the team to their first district championship.)

• The J. Frank Dobie High School 1993 Girls’ Softball State Championship Team, who captured a historical championship trophy after winning 1-0 against Tomball.

Each one of these individuals have set a standard of excellence for current Pasadena ISD students and staff to follow and we applaud their contributions to the athletics programs that they have served.

We are also honored to welcome our guest emcee, Jason Bristol, anchor, reporter and multi-skilled journalist at KHOU-TV Channel 11 in Houston, Texas.

Congratulations to our Athletics Hall of Fame scholarship recipients. We wish them the best in their college experience and in their professional careers!

None of the above would be possible without the generous support of the Pasadena ISD Athletics Department, the Pasadena ISD Athletics Hall of Fame Committee and the Pasadena ISD Education Foundation. We want to thank our table sponsors, our Founding Donors and all our inductees – past and present – their families and their guests. We also wish to acknowledge the generous support of the Pasadena ISD Administration, the Board of Trustees and Pasadena ISD employees. We would like to thank our Pasadena ISD high schools and the students and athletes who have volunteered their time this evening. Thank you to all.

Special thanks to Ernie Zardeneta for their catering services and for our delicious meal, and for the servers from the Sam Rayburn High School Culinary Arts program. Thank you to all the vendors who have helped to make this event truly special for our inductees and guests.

After the induction ceremony, we invite you to the front lobby reception area, where you will have an opportunity to meet with the inductees for photographs and autographs.

This evening, we celebrate our inductees’ achievements, spanning decades. From sports to academics, you can see that success is at the mission of Pasadena ISD. I am thankful for the opportunity to showcase this tonight.

Thank you again for your attendance at this very special event.

Sincerely,

PISD Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet Ceremony

Welcome to the 10th anniversary Pasadena ISD Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet. Tonight, we celebrate and honor the achievements of 10 inductees -- many of them are graduates of our great school district.

These athletes have demonstrated grit, discipline and dedication to reach their goals and achieve excellence in their athletic careers. Undoubtedly, our high school athletes continue to excel in each of our schools and make

us proud on and off the field. As we celebrate the achievements of tonight’s inductees, we also thank them for setting a positive example for current athletes of Pasadena ISD to follow.

The accomplishments of these outstanding inductees could not have occurred without the continuous support of coaches, teachers and staff, alumni, and our Pasadena ISD Board of Trustees. Their contributions continue to be a crucial part of the success of our athletic

programs and the district as a whole. Thank you for joining us as we recognize the outstanding achievements of this group of inductees into the Pasadena ISD Athletics Hall of Fame.

Congratulations!

Dr. DeeAnn Powell

Superintendent of Schools, Pasadena ISD

The Pasadena Independent School District Athletics Department would like to welcome everyone to the annual Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet. We are honored to have you as our guests as we recognize former PISD athletes who have made significant contributions on and off of the competition fields.

We would also like to thank our Hall of Fame committee members and sponsors who have contributed their time and efforts to making this special night a continued success.

Once again, congratulations to the inductees on their well deserved recognition tonight. We applaud the accomplishments of these former student athletes and the positive impact they have made on our PISD teams, community and beyond.

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Football/Powerlifting/Archery

Athletic Achievements: All-State Academic Elite Team, Houston Touchdown Club Scholar

Athlete of the Year, Heart of a Maverick

Award, Bullseye State Champion

College: Undecided

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Pasadena ISD Hall of Fame SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Volleyball/Powerlifting

Athletic Achievements: Offensive Player of the Year for District 22-6A, Team MVP

(2021), Academic All-District, First Team AllDistrict, Maverick Award Recipient, Two-Time Regional Qualifier in Powerlifting

College: Texas State University

Major: Exercise Sports Science

Football/Powerlifting/Archery

Athletic Achievements: Four-Time team

MVP, Two-Time All-District, All-State Academic and Honorable Mention in Basketball College: Undecided

Major: Sports Management

ATHLETIC TRAINER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

OF CEREMONIES

JASON BRISTOL MASTER

KHOU 11 SPORTS ANCHOR

EMMY® AWARD-WINNING TV SPORTS STORYTELLER

ABOUT JASON

Jason Bristol is an anchor, reporter and multi-skilled journalist at KHOU-TV in Houston, Texas, specializing in the areas of sports and sports-related reporting.

He is a 32-time regional EMMY® Award-winner for both sports anchoring and reporting and has also earned three regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. He graduated in 1995 from State University of New York at Oswego with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcasting & Mass Communication.

He has also worked at WSTM-TV in Syracuse, New York; the former Empire Sports Network in Buffalo, New York; and WHP-TV in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Esparza 2007

MARLEN ESPARZA

PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL

BOXING, CLASS OF 2007

ABOUT MARLEN

Marlen Esparza began her boxing career at the age of 12. Since then, she spent years training and competing in the sport to become a barrier-breaking internationally recognized boxing force.

During the 2012 Olympics, Marlen not only qualified to compete, but she also became the first American woman to qualify for the Olympics in the first year that women’s boxing made its debut. Marlen, known for her stamina and durability, won the bronze medal in the Women’s Flyweight Division during the Olympics in London and a gold medal at the 2014 AIBA (International Boxing Association) Women’s World Boxing Championships.

By her early 30s, she had already begun her professional boxing career - making history once again as the first female fighter to be signed by Golden Boy Promotions, a boxing firm established by 11-time world champion Oscar de la Hoya. Over the years, she has appeared in commercials for Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, along with earning a Nike sponsorship.

In her first professional two-round match, Marlen took on Rachel Sazoff, also known as the Black Widow, and

won. She has also competed against Samantha Salaza, along with Aracely Palacios and Karla Valenzuela, which she received unanimous decision wins against. She continued on this winning streak with a TKO victory against Laetizia Campana in 2018 and then a unanimous decision victory against Jhosep Vizcaino the following year. In 2019, in an eight-round flyweight fight against Sonia Osorio, Marlen won with a KO.

Just weeks before tonight’s Athletics Hall of Fame event, Marlen went toe to toe in a 10-round fight against Japan’s legendary Naoko Fujioka. After exchanging multiple right and left hooks in a fast-paced fight, Marlen is now the unified Flyweight WBC champion.

The 5’3” 113 lbs. boxer has a professional record of 12-1-0.

Marlen graduated from Pasadena High School in 2007 where she ran crosscountry and competed in swimming and debate. Marlen was inducted into the PHS Alumni Hall of Honor in 2020.

Goehring 1970-2007 COACH

CHARLIE GOEHRING

CROSS COUNTRY & TRACK COACH (1970-2007)

PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1959 ATHLETE

ABOUT CHARLIE

An alumnus of Pasadena High School, Charlie Goehring began a long career with Pasadena ISD, coaching cross country and track for 37 years. As a student at Pasadena High School, Charlie was active in athletics as a football player and a basketball player. He earned two varsity letters in football and was an end/wide receiver on the Eagles’ 1958 state finalist team, still the only Pasadena ISD football team to compete for a state crown. The entire team was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019. He continued to play football and basketball while he attended Texas Lutheran University.

After graduating from the University of Houston in 1971, Charlie started his career and coached in various capacities at Beverly Hills Intermediate School, Dobie High School and South Houston Intermediate School. He then served 16 years as the boys’ head cross country and track coach at South Houston High School. During this time, he built one of the best cross country and track progams in the area, achieving success at the district, regional and state levels. After that, he moved to Pasadena High, where he served 10 years as the boys’ head cross country coach, one year as the boys’ head track coach and eight years as an assistant track coach.

Highlights of his cross country teams include six district titles and three regional titles. He also qualified 13 teams and seven individuals to regional meets. Seven of his teams qualified for the state meet, in addition to three individual competitors. The 1985 South Houston team won the bronze medals at the state meet with a third place finish.

In track, he coached 40+ regional qualifiers and 10 state meet qualifiers. In 1986, he coached John Holmes, Pasadena ISD Hall of Famer, to a state championship in the 800 meters.

Charlie credits the outstanding achievements of his teams to the hard work and dedication of talented athletes and assistant coaches. The enthusiasm of faculty, administrators, students and parents of the athletes became a catalyst for continued success.

Charlie retired from Pasadena ISD in 2007 and continues to help run, officiate and start intermediate and high school meets for the district in both cross country and track. The annual South Houston Goehring Invitational Cross Country Meet is named in his honor because of his outstanding contributions to cross country and track. He was inducted into the Hall of Honor of the Gulf Coast Scholastic Track Coaches Association in 2009. He was named Honoree at the 2011 Pasadena ISD Brown Relays. He has also been named to the 2020 South Houston High School School Alumni Hall of Honor.

Charlie and his wife, Sandy, have been married for 61 years. They reside in the Pasadena area, as do their three children, seven grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.

Mills 1972

TOMMY JACK ( T.J.) MILLS

FOOTBALL COACH

1977-2005

ABOUT T.J.

T.J. Mills was one of the only two coaches in Texas High School Football history to lead a team to an unprecedented four straight state championships, from 1993 to 1997, as head coach of the Sealy High Tigers in Class 3A. Sealy was the first team to ever accomplish such a feat.

T.J. coached at Sealy for 14 years. Over the years, his Sealy team achieved a record of 63-1 throughout his coaching tenure, with a streak of 24 straight playoff victories. They reached the title game again in 1999.

After the 1999 season ended, T.J. left Sealy with an overall record of 148-38-0 and went on to coach the Odessa Permian Panthers for a short span. He then returned to the Houston area to coach at La Porte. T.J. ended his career with 195-78 career wins. In 23 years as a head coach, his teams had advanced to the playoffs 15 times including 12 district championships. He finally retired in 2005.

T.J.’s legendary coaching achievements have been recognized at the district and state level. He was selected as District Coach of the Year on numerous occasions and as the Texas Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year four times. He was also named the Fab Knit Coach of the Year four times. In addition, he was selected as a “Coach Who Makes a Difference” by High School Extra. T.J. served as chairman of the All-Star

Selection Committee in 1987 and 1988. From 1990 to 1992, T.J. also served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Football Coaches Association. He was later inducted into the Greater Houston Football Coaches Association Hall of Honor. In 2014, T.J. became the third individual from Pasadena High School to be inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor, an honor also bestowed to his former coach at Pasadena High SchoolRobert “Bob” Barfield and Stoney Phillips.

Growing up in the city of Pasadena, T.J.’s childhood consisted of playing Little League baseball and football with the Pasadena Eagles football under the Friday night lights. He knew the names of every player and considered them his heroes.

T.J. never forgot where he came from. He loved to talk about the education he received as a student attending Pasadena ISD schools, along with the support he received from teachers and coaches alike. The support he received over the years from staff and family manifested into pride, integrity and a desire to be the best at whatever challenge he faced. He graduated from Pasadena High School in 1972.

T.J. attended Texas State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Math in 1977. After graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, Becky Chambers, and had three beautiful daughters together, Cortney, Kelly and Kasey. T.J. also became a math educator for Pasadena ISD and shared the philosophy he learned to all of the students he taught.

T.J. died in 2015 of a heart attack at the age of 60. But he will always be remembered as one of the greatest Texas high school coaches of our time.

Prentice 1970

STEVE PRENTICE

SOUTH HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL

SWIMMING, CLASS OF 1970

ABOUT STEVE

Steve Prentice, a record-breaker with a mean backstroke, became one of the Southwest Conference’s most accomplished swimmers to ever dive into the sport.

The Pasadena native grew up down the street from Strawberry Park where he and his family spent many days enjoying an occasional dip in the pool. Little did he realize, these leisurely swims would one day manifest into a love of the sport. By freshman year at South Houston High School, Steve began swimming under the direction of coaching legend Lanny Landtroop where he earned high school All-American as a four-year letter and he was named Outstanding Swimmer in District 27-4A as a senior. Some of his brightest moments included winning the 100-yard backstroke and the 200-meter at the district meet. He eventually qualified for the state meet and finished third in the backstroke.

Steve continued making a splash in the sport of swimming while attending Texas A&M University.

The 6’ 2”, 192 lbs college standout was a “diamond in the rough” recruit for the Aggies, who had normally signed swimmers from California and other

parts of the country known for elite high school programs. Under the helm of legendary college swimming coach Melvin “Pat” Patterson, Steve made waves immediately after joining the team in 1971, setting school records in the 100 backstroke (54.4), the 200 backstroke (1:59.2) and the 200 individual medley (2:01.3). He qualified for the NCAA meet in both backstroke events, in addition to qualifying for the Pan American Games trials in the 100 backstroke

Steve, who had barely gotten his feet wet in collegiate competitive swimming, had already broken his own school records in the 100 backstroke (53.8) and the 200 backstroke (1:58.6). He contributed to the 400 medley relay and 800 free relay teams that also set school records. Steve finished second at the Southwest Conference Swimming meet in four events, setting the stage for bigger things his final two years of college.

By the time he became an upperclassman at A&M, he was not just reaching for his goals, he was reaching for the SWC crown.

In 1973, Steve would go on to win the 100 backstroke at the Southwest Conference Swimming meet, finishing second in the 200 backstroke, breaking his own record in the process (1:58.2). He also broke his own record in the 200 IM (2:01.2) and contributed to a relay team that set a new school record. His senior year at A&M, he had captured the Southwest Conference title in both backstroke events.

Raby

1952-1980 COACH

WILLY RABY

TRACK COACH (1952-1980)

ABOUT WILLY

Wilburn “Willy” Raby coached football, track and cross country for 28 years in Pasadena ISD.

A Corsicana native, Willy played football and basketball throughout high school and went on to honorably serve in the United States Navy during World War II. He attended Navarro College in Corsicana and Daniel Baker College, playing football at both schools. Willy graduated with a B.S. and then a M.S. from Sam Houston State University.

Willy began his long-standing coaching career in Pasadena ISD in 1952, with a two-year stint leading some of the greatest athletes in the district. Some of these athletic standouts claimed many individual and team victories, earning a place on the wall of the Pasadena ISD Athletics Hall of Fame Museum, such as Larry May, Randall Kerbow, Carl Choate, David Webb and the late Bert Coan, who was a player on the historial Kansas City Chiefs team that competed in Super Bowl I in 1967.

In 1954, Willy embarked on a nine-year run as the head football and basketball coach at Southmore Jr. High School, alongside Coach Don Cole. Built with an indoor pool that was started by Willy, Sam Sailer and Weldon Phillips, Southmore hosted the Pasadena ISD Athletics Department’s summer swimming program for 18 years. The lessons were instructed by PISD coaches, who lived by the phrase, “If kids live this close to the Gulf Coast, they need to know how to swim.”

Willy continued to teach, train and mentor student athletes at Sam Rayburn High School in football as a defensive

back coach and as the head track and cross-country coach for 16 years, starting in 1964. Willy led the Texans cross country team to two district team championship titles, one regional team title, with seven state meet qualifiers. His track and field team claimed six district team championship titles, 139 regional qualifiers, 28 state meet qualifiers and a regional qualifier in the 4x100 relay.

During several state meets, with Willy at the helm, students made their mark in track and field. Lee Lucas, for example, finished second in the state at South Houston, with John Harper winning second in discus. Some of the best performances included one of his students setting the No. 1 national record in the 4x200 meter relay, clocking in at 1:27:9. Andy Snelson ran the 100-meter dash in 9.4, while Mark Vincent ran 1:56 in the 800 meters. Willy moved to New Mexico and coached the girls track and field team to three back-to-back state championships.

Willy is also proud of his family, including his daughter, Lynda and son Fred. During the 1962-64 football seasons, while Willy was coaching at Rayburn, his son Fred played quarterback for South Houston High School under Coach Harry Morgan, earning himself a scholarship to Texas Tech University.

While Willy enjoys the many victories his teams achieved throughout his years of coaching, he feels a sense of pride knowing that he made a difference in the lives of so many students along the way. Willy set a standard of excellence that will continue on for future generations to come.

Willy retired from Pasadena ISD in 1980. In 2012, he was recognized for his excellent coaching career as an inductee of the Texas Gulf Coast Scholastic Track & Field Coaches Hall of Honor.

On April 8th, surrounded by former students, family and friends, Coach Raby celebrated his 95th birthday. While he resides in Groesbeck, he still calls Pasadena home and continues to be an avid sports fan all with an attitude of discipline and determination to “keep on keeping on” just the way he coached.

Schroeder 1975

RON SCHROEDER

SAM RAYBURN HIGH SCHOOL GOLF, CLASS OF 1975

ABOUT RON

while attending Sam Houston State University. Playing on the same team with golf legend Fuzzy Zeller and Gary McCord (current golf announcer), he contributed to Sam Houston State’s two national titles and he was named AllLone Star Conference his senior year.

Schroeder went on to win the Greater Houston Amateur Championship five times after college graduation. He is a five-time USGA Public Links qualifier, three-time USGA Mid-Amateur qualifier and a one-time USGA Amateur qualifier.

Christ. Family. Golf. These are the three tiers of life that catapulted Ron Schroeder to golfing glory.

Ron played golf for 25 years before retiring as a Houston police officer. With dreams of playing professionally after retirement, his dreams became a reality as Ron began to tour cross country and captured some victories along the way.

As a professional golfer, Ron won the Jamaican Open, Colorado Senior Open, the Waterloo Senior Open and is a four-time winner of the Southern Senior Mini-Tour.

As a high school freshman, Schroeder was one of the district’s top golfers and qualified for region. When Schroeder entered his junior year at Sam Rayburn High School, he was the Pasadena ISD individual champion, district champ and an all-city honoree.

After graduating from Rayburn, Schroeder contributed to two NAIA national championship teams

One of the highlights of his golfing career was being named the Southern Texas PGA Senior Player of the Year in 2017 and in 2018, along with winning the Texas Senior Open. In April of 2019, he won the PGA’s Senior Series for the second time.

While Ron was raised in a family of baseball fans and players, he was drawn to the individual aspect of playing golf. “You could always go and play golf and set your own goals. The sport tells a story. You’re either good enough to do it or you’re not,” he said.

Ron said the best part about playing professional golf is the joy of getting to bring his family, including his wife, Gale and two sons, to enjoy the experience too

Snelson 2009

PASADENA MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

FOOTBALL, CLASS OF 2009

BENJAMIN “BO” SNELSON ABOUT BO

ISD player. He placed third in the Texas State Track & Field Championship in the 4x100 relay with a time of 41.3 and his team set a school record that still stands in a 4x200 relay.

The heart of a leader with the athleticism to boost, Bo Snelson has seen his fair share of athletics achievements over the years.

As a student at Pasadena Memorial High School, he was a four-sport standout earning letters in football, track and field, baseball and powerlifting. In the span of two seasons his junior and senior years, he scored 57 touchdowns and received All-State (Texas) honors, along with the district’s offensive MVP.

Coached by his father John Snelson, Bo helped the Mavs go 9-3-1 and earn the school’s first-ever bi-district and area championship. News of his leadership, speed and agility spread. In 2008, Bo was named one of 50 Old Spice Red Zone National Players of the Year, an award given to the likes of some of football’s greatest players, like NFL first draft pick, Tim Tebow.

In track, he completed 4,078 yards and averaged 7.6 yards a carry, the most yardage ever compiled by a Pasadena

After graduating from high school in 2009, Bo joined the United States Naval Academy, where he played football all four years. He took part in three bowl games and averaged 273 yards on 42 carries his senior year. During the 2011 season, Bo was part of the Navy offense that finished the season ranked No. 4 nationally in rushing offense, averaging 312.25 yards per game. Known for his leadership skills and statistical contributions, he was voted co-captain by his teammates, one of the greatest honors bestowed upon a Navy varsity athlete.

After receiving his commission, Snelson graduated from the Marine Corps Officer’s School and he now serves as a Series Commander and Infantry Officer for the Marine Corps in San Diego.

Bo, along with his father, John, uncle, Andy, and grandmother, Billie, are also being inducted into the Pasadena ISD Athletics Hall of Fame.

Snelson COACH

SNELSON FAMILY

BILLIE, ANDY AND JOHN

BILLIE SNELSON FORMER VOLLEYBALL COACH

Billie M. Snelson played basketball for the Oklahoma Baptist University Bisons. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from OBU in 1948.

After college, she started her decadeslong career in Pasadena ISD, where she coached volleyball at Sam Rayburn High School, South Houston Houston High School and taught at Pasadena High School. Former athletes who played under her leadership say she was no ordinary coach.

Beyond leading her teams to multiple winning seasons, Coach Snelson was remembered for commanding the room, gaining the respect of every student, athlete, coach and referee, and for building bonds that lasted a lifetime. You could see it the moment she entered a room.

“I remember our practices after school. She had a presence about her. When she would walk in, we all stopped what we were doing so we could get to work,” recalled Donna Branch, former Rayburn volleyball student and Hall of Famer.

Billie was also remembered for setting high expectations for the team because she was, in a word, a perfectionist who

was always pushing her team to new heights.

“You wanted her to be proud of you,” Donna said.

Lynne Champion, who coached at Dobie at the time, stated, “We could tell that the players trusted her.”

That trust and respect extended through to her family. Billie had a powerful influence in her children’s lives, as both sons, Andy Snelson and John Snelson, would go on to excel in their high school athletics programs and in their careers.

Billie made a huge impact on many student’s lives throughout her 39-year long career in Pasadena ISD.

Billie passed away at the age of 90 on September 15, 2018, but her memories as a mother, grandmother, coach, teacher and friend continue to live on in the many lives she touched.

Tonight, we celebrate Coach Billie Snelson for her many contributions and accomplishments at Pasadena ISD.

Snelson 1974

SNELSON FAMILY

BILLIE, ANDY AND JOHN ANDY SNELSON FOOTBALL, SAM RAYBURN H.S. CLASS OF 1974

Andy Snelson was a standout athlete at Sam Rayburn High School.

In high school, he was an All-State sprinter in track and three-year letterman in football, earning multiple All-District awards. Andy’s record-breaking 9.4 seconds in the 100-yard dash and 21.6 seconds in the 220-yard dash are still among the top in Pasadena ISD history.

Andy was coached by Odell Harrison and one of Pasadena ISD’s newest Hall of Famer’s being inducted this evening, Wilburn “Willy” Raby. Coach Raby enjoyed taking his 1973 and 1974 track team all over the state, displaying the talents of his boys.

After graduation, Andy attended the University of Houston where he sprinted for Coach Johnny Morris

and Tom Tellez. He also attended Odessa College for one year under Coach James Segrest.

He is now retired and resides in Pasadena.

Snelson COACH

SNELSON FAMILY BILLIE, ANDY AND JOHN

JOHN SNELSON –FOOTBALL,/BASEBALL MEMORIAL FOOTBALL COACH

John Snelson’s Pasadena roots run deep.

He graduated from Sam Rayburn High School with an impressive high school football resume. Coached under Charlie Lyles, John became one of the football program’s top players, starting three years.

A four-year letterman in baseball, John was also a member of Rayburn’s 1985 baseball team that played for the Class 5A state championship under head coach Al Campo.

From the gridiron to the sidelines, John channeled his experiences as a standout athlete into his coaching. He joined the Memorial Mavs’ coaching staff as the

team’s defensive coordinator during the football program’s inaugural year in 2003. In 2006, Tom Ed Gooden stepped down from his head coaching position at Memorial and John filled in. With John at the helm, Pasadena Memorial’s football program was the first to advance to the third round of the playoffs for a district title since the 1960s in 2007, falling to Katy in the Class 5A Division II regional semi-finals. Memorial won their first district championship in 2009, going 6-1 in district 22-5A after winning against Pearland and La Porte.

In 2012, John joined the Dickinson Gators football program as head coach, where he’s tallied some of the most wins in Gator history.

Willingham 1971

BRYAN WI LL INGHAM

PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL

FOOTBALL, CLASS OF 1971

ABOUT BRYAN

Bryan Willingham lettered three years in football and track as a student at Pasadena High School. A go-to receiver for the Eagles football team, he was a member of the one-mile and two-mile relays that set school records in 1971.

Bryan earned all district honors as a safety and split end receiver his junior year and split end his senior year. He led the 1970 Eagles District Championship Football team in widereceiving with 48 receptions for 695 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning the Most Valuable Player award.

After graduation, Bryan represented Pasadena in the Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Football Game in Fort Worth, setting an unprecedented receiving record of 11 catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns. Bryan subsequently earned the Most Valuable Lineman Award for the South’s 65-0 victory.

Bryan went on to sign with the University of Houston, setting receiving records as early as freshman year, earning the Walter Caldwell Jr. Award as the Most Valuable Freshman Football Player in 1971, and MVP award at the Shrine Bowl, with eight catches for 162 yards and five touchdowns.

He performed exceptionally well during his junior year at UH, catching an impressive 83-yard touchdown pass and completing 16 catches for 328 yards.

Bryan started three years as a split end, leading the No. 9 ranked 11-1 Cougars in receiving, averaging 20 yards per catch in 1973.

Longhorns 1993

J. FRANK DOBIE HIGH SCHOOL 1993 SOFTBALL TEAM STATE CHAMPIONS

J. FRANK DOBIE SOFTBALL TEAM

The 1993 J. Frank Dobie High School softball team will always be in the Texas University Interscholastic League history books as the inaugural UIL State Fastpitch Softball Tournament champions. This team not only made state history, but also set the expectation for future Dobie softball teams. Although the team came home with the gold, there were several challenges along the way.

The Team

Coming into the 1993 season, softball was still a fresh face in the world of high school sports. The majority of the first ever Dobie High School softball team from ‘92 were back to compete for the first official UIL softball season. Although the team was comprised of a majority of freshmen and sophomore players, it was known to have a lot of depth and talent with a background in competitive fastpitch softball. It also had the much needed leadership of seniors Robin Rackley and Shannon McDonald, in addition to freshman pitcher Christa Williams who was up and coming on the fastpitch softball scene.

With the 1992 season, Coach Martha Dossman stepping down to work on her master’s degree, the team was left with a leadership gap that was not easy to replace. The Lady Longhorns almost missed competing that season with the coaching position still open during the year. Thankfully, a Dobie staff member volunteered just in time. However the lack of experience and background knowledge of competitive fastpitch softball created a gap that needed to be filled if the team was going to be competitive. Therefore, seniors Robin Rackly and Shannon McDonald stepped up and ran practices, created line-ups, and basically coached the team. The freshmen and sophomore players trusted and respected their senior leadership and followed their lead. Although this scenario was not ideal

the first official year of softball being a UIL sport, it did build the character and determination needed to get to the state tournament as a team. As the Lady Longhorns made their way through post season playoffs, the 1993 season coach was removed and replaced by Coach Martha Dossman who was able to come back to help the team finish off the ‘93 softball season to state.

District Play

With the ‘93 season opening up in the newly formed 5A District 18, the Lady Longhorns had to place first or second in district to participate in post-season playoffs. Incurring one loss mid-year put the team in a good position, however they lost two district games late in the season against Texas City (0-5) and South Houston (2-3). This left the team waiting and watching the outcomes of other district teams to determine if they would have a chance to fight for a spot in playoffs. Due to how the rest of the season played out for other teams, the Lady Longhorns were tied with Deer Park in their last game of district play for the second place district position. Deer Park had home field advantage as well as a team with a lot of seniors. To win the second place spot and move on to playoffs, the Longhorns had to beat the Lady Deers back to back. The Lady Longhorns were able to bring a huge upset with a 1-0 win for the first game and a 4-0 win in the second game.

Post Season Play

After a rough road to the number two spot in District 18, the Lady Longhorns closed out Angleton (8-0), League City Clear Creek (1-0), and Freeport Brazoswood (6-0) to land them a spot in the state tournament.

J. FRANK DOBIE HIGH SCHOOL

1993 SOFTBALL TEAM STATE CHAMPIONS

The State Tournament

The state tournament was held at Pleasant Valley SportsPlex in Austin, Texas on May 21st & 22nd. With much anticipation in the air for the first ever UIL State Softball Tournament, there was additional excitement due to a planned Kevin Costner appearance. With a crowd of 5,000, Costner kicked off the tournament with a hitting exhibition against selected pitchers playing for the state title. Dobie’s Christa Williams was the only pitcher Costner could not hit with Rackley behind the plate during the exhibition.

The Lady Horns faced San Marcos in their first state tournament and quarter final game. With a 5-1 win against the San Marcos Rattlers, they were able to advance to the semi-finals against El Paso Bel Air. The Longhorns walked away with a 10-2 win which advanced them to the state championship against Tomball who had made their way to the finals by defeating Mount Pleasant and Waco Midway.

Championship Game

Coming into the final game of the state tournament, the Dobie Longhorns and Tomball Cougars both had strong pitching on the mound. This created a scoreless game until the 4th inning. Christina Borsche was able to move along the diamond on a couple of fielder’s choice plays. This put her into scoring position when a hit by April Cook was not cleanly fielded by Tomball’s third baseman. This allowed Borsche to score putting the Longhorns in the lead. At the time, Cook was also unknowingly playing on a broken ankle from the Bel Air game.

Although Tomball unsuccessfully scored with runners on base in the fifth, they did have the opportunity in the seventh with a single that opened up the inning. However, that lead runner was forced out on second which left a runner on first who advanced to second on a wild pitch. April Cook came through on a foul ball catch near the baseline fence giving the Lady Longhorns their second out. With the home team advantage, the Lady Longhorns were one out away in the 7th and final inning to win the state championship title. Senior catcher Robin Rackley, spotted an opportunity to end the game and called a pick-off play to second baseman Melissa Atkinson. With a strong throw down to second, the runner was too far off to go back and was forced to run to third. Atkinson quickly threw the ball to third baseman Nicole Myers who tagged the runner for the third out cinching the win for the Lady Longhorns and naming them as the first UIL Softball State Champions with a 1-0 win over Tomball.

Christa Williams, Robin Rackley, Nicole Myers, and Heather Martinez were all named to the All Tournament State Team in addition to receiving the honor of being a member of the first ever UIL State Softball Champion Team.

The team finished out the year with a 24-3 record. Christa Williams finished the entire season with an 18-2 record and allowed just 2 earned runs. She also struck out 226 batters in 131 innings.

The 1993 Dobie Girls Softball team has now been added to history books as one of the greatest softball teams in the state.

congratulations Lady Longhorns!

J. FRANK DOBIE HIGH SCHOOL 1993 SOFTBALL TEAM STATE

CHAMPIONS

J. FRANK DOBIE HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL TEAM

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1993 J. FRANK DOBIE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP SOFTBALL TEAM

COACH MARTHA DOSSMAN

APRIL COOK DABILA

CHRISTA WILLIAMS YATES

CHRISTINA BORSCHE’ MATA

ERICA (GUAJARDO) SALAZAR

HEATHER MARTINEZ PAGE

MELISSA ATKINSON MCCURRY

MICHELLE LOVE OWENS

NICOLE MYERS NALEPA

PILAR PEREZ

ROBIN RACKLEY

SHANNON MCDONALD WARNER

STACIE CLARK

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