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Tale Lights Podcast

Tale Lights Podcast

By Erik Thormaehlen

Texas professional educator, Erik Thormaehlen, sets out on an episodic journey of professional development. This podcast includes interviews with (mostly retired) coaches, superintendents, principals, teachers, and various professional educators. Usually the subject will be a retired AD/HFC but to keep it interesting, that’ll change from time to time.
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#22 Floyd Ciruti

Tale Lights PodcastJan 03, 2020

00:00
49:12
#48.2 Kerry Barboza

#48.2 Kerry Barboza

Kerry Barboza grew up in San Antonio, Texas. After attending high school at Thomas Jefferson, Kerry was on his way to Oral Roberts in Tulsa, before checking out the coast of Virginia while working on his Master’s Degree and getting his feet wet in the news/sports reporting business. Kerry made it back to the San Antonio area in February of 2002, when he took a job at the Boerne Star. For nearly 20 years, Kerry Barboza has been around every state championship moment, the UIL Lone Star Cup, the split of two high schools, the development of a major private school, and the coverage of the Comfort Bobcats/Deer, and he’s seen it all. From the Paul Talbert years in Comfort, to covering so many amazing Boerne coaches, athletes, programs, and moments, Kerry Barboza got a great seat for the action. The thing is, he was usually standing the whole time, taking pictures, and then headed back home to write about all of these moments and give Boerne Athletes coverage that few are lucky to receive at the prep level. You won’t want to miss it as we cover the top ten stories in Boerne over the last many years. We talk about all kinds of things, but you’ll have to tune in to hear for yourself. Episode #48.1 includes Kerry’s life, growing up, going to college, and returning to the SA area, and then we dive right into the #’s 10, 9, and 8! Later in the week I’ll release #48.2, and we’ll finish out the top 10, by coverings #’s 7-1. I’d have released the entire interview at once, but with a day job, I needed a few night to clean it all up for maximum enjoyment! Don’t miss us discussing the Hall of Honor, Sam Champion, and so much more!
Oct 12, 202001:14:42
#48.1 Kerry Barboza

#48.1 Kerry Barboza

Kerry Barboza grew up in San Antonio, Texas. After attending high school at Thomas Jefferson, Kerry was on his way to Oral Roberts in Tulsa, before checking out the coast of Virginia while working on his Master’s Degree and getting his feet wet in the news/sports reporting business. Kerry made it back to the San Antonio area in February of 2002, when he took a job at the Boerne Star. For nearly 20 years, Kerry Barboza has been around every state championship moment, the UIL Lone Star Cup, the split of two high schools, the development of a major private school, and the coverage of the Comfort Bobcats/Deer, and he’s seen it all. From the Paul Talbert years in Comfort, to covering so many amazing Boerne coaches, athletes, programs, and moments, Kerry Barboza got a great seat for the action. The thing is, he was usually standing the whole time, taking pictures, and then headed back home to write about all of these moments and give Boerne Athletes coverage that few are lucky to receive at the prep level. You won’t want to miss it as we cover the top ten stories in Boerne over the last many years. We talk about all kinds of things, but you’ll have to tune in to hear for yourself. Episode #48.1 includes Kerry’s life, growing up, going to college, and returning to the SA area, and then we dive right into the #’s 10, 9, and 8! Later in the week I’ll release #48.2, and we’ll finish out the top 10, by coverings #’s 7-1. I’d have released the entire interview at once, but with a day job, I needed a few night to clean it all up for maximum enjoyment! Don’t miss us discussing the Hall of Honor, Sam Champion, and so much more!

Oct 06, 202001:01:49
#47 Dickie Faught

#47 Dickie Faught

Dickie Faught grew up near Brownfield, Texas, and attended college at San Angelo State University. Coach Faught began his coaching career in Klondike, Texas. After a two year stint in Klondike, Coach Faught made a jump back towards home and went to Brownfield as an assistant coach for a few years before taking over the girls basketball program at a time when 3 time WNBA MVP, Sheryl Swoopes was in high school. Coach Faught would coach Brownfield to a state title in 1988. Soon after he took a job as Girls Coordinator at Hereford High School where he stayed for three years, before jumping to Ozona, Texas, a place where his teams went on to play for three state titles, and win two. Coach Faught finished his career with a 9 year run in Seminole, and more than 600 wins throughout his amazing career.
Sep 28, 202029:12
#46 Robbie Shivers

#46 Robbie Shivers

Coach Shivers grew up in Boerne, Texas.  He graduated the Salutatorian of BHS in the Class of 1992.  As a high school basketball player, Robbie helped the Boerne Greyhounds reach the 1990 State Championship game.  He then went on to Stephen F. Austin University to play college basketball and continue his education, before transferring to Concordia University in Austin, to team up with his older brother David, in a reunion that saw Robbie named as a 2nd Team NAIA All-American.  After graduating, Coach Shivers headed back to Boerne to work as an assistant basketball coach, under his high school coach, and previous podcast guest, Stan Leech.  After 4 years of being an assistant, Coach Shivers decided to move into the head coach world which saw stops in Utopia, Brazoswood, San Marcos, and Lampasas.  Join us as we take a trip down memory lane in the virtual yellow dog, cruising throughout numerous parts of Texas, and expanding upon impressions of each place and the good times.

Sep 26, 202001:34:31
#45 Rip Sewell Tribute

#45 Rip Sewell Tribute

In the 45th edition of the Tale Lights Podcast, I did something different.  I sat down with a former player of Coach Rip Sewell to honor the deceased coach that made a major impact in the lives of kids out in Ozona, Texas, for many years.  Blake Moody not only played football and ran track for Coach Sewell, but was also the son of the superintendent during Coach Sewell's time as AD/HFC. We talked about what it was like growing up in Ozona,, playing for Coach Sewell, the experience of an undefeated 1976 season, and much more.  One road we go down is the disappointing 4-3 school board vote in 2015 that determined the stadium would not be named in Coach Sewell's honor.  Coach Sewell is in the THSCA Hall of Honor, and a legend in West Texas.  The fact that small town politics so often get in the way of doing what's right, is as usual, highly disappointing to many of us that appreciate the decades of love and dedication Coach Rip Sewell showed to the kids out in Ozona.

Sep 19, 202039:60
#44 Rick Keith
Aug 18, 202002:21:32
#43 Steve Taylor

#43 Steve Taylor

Steve Taylor grew up the son of a Baptist preacher in Spur, Texas.  He went on to play college football at San Angelo State University.  After a couple of years as a graduate assistant, Coach Taylor decided it was time to go for the "big money" in the Texas Public School System!  Coach Taylor headed for Muleshoe and joined Mike Wartes and Alan Cornelius to make up a trio of a head coach, an offensive coordinator, and a defensive coordinator, that is their ages had been added together, didn't even equal 75 years of age.  From Muleshoe, that same trio headed on to Denver City, where Cornelius would take the head job after Wartes departed, and then finally Coach Steve Taylor would take his first head coaching position, as he was promoted to lead the Mustangs.  Coach Taylor spent 6 years at the helm, before taking a job in "the biggest little town in the world", Ozona, Texas.  Coach Taylor and his staff took the reigns and immediately put the Lions on track for a great season.  After 5 years of leading the Lions, Coach Taylor would take a job at Midland Greenwood, where he and his staff would lead the Rangers to the State Quarterfinals in 2006.  After 5 years in Midland, Coach Taylor decided to head further west and took the job as the Head Football Coach of the Brownfield Cubs.  A year later, he was headed home to Denver City for another great run with the Mustangs.  Tune in for all the great details.  You won't want to miss a great story about Coach Rip Sewell, a member of the Texas High School Coaches Association, Hall of Honor.  Not to mention, discuss one of the most incredible ladies I've met in my life, Anne Shaw.  It's an interview that you won't want to miss!


https://talelightspodcast.com/podcast-interviews

talelightspodcast@gmail.com

Aug 07, 202001:27:01
#42 Chan Priest

#42 Chan Priest

Chan Priest grew up in the small town of San Saba, Texas, where his father was the Head Football Coach of the Armadillos.  We talk in depth about the history of "The Graveyard" (the football field in San Saba) and  Coach Priest tells a great story about the time his father and older brother (who were strong influences on his life), were involved in an altercation (which emanated from Mason, TX.) between the two and a couple of chain crew cowboys in the land of the Punchers, which from the sound of it, likely would have been a main event at the old Dallas Sportatorium.  Coach Priest played football at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and headed out to New Mexico to begin a career as a game warden.  He ended up following in his father's footsteps instead, and coaching a year in New Mexico, before returning to Texas and going to work at Early High School.  From Early, Coach Priest headed to De Leon, and went to work for Coach Jack Waggoner, where the Bearcats won the 1975 state championship in football.  By 1980, Coach Priest was ready to fly out on his own, as he accepted the position of Head Football Coach of the Goldthwaite Eagles.  Coach Priest, and his staff (which included our previous guest, Coach Gary Proffitt), would take a football program out of the slumping seventies, ending a decade long playoff drought, to kick off the electric eighties!  After the Eagles won the 1985 UIL Football State Championship (and a great story about Coach Gordon Wood's halftime locker room visit on that night), Coach Proffitt goes on to discuss the time he followed legendary Coach Randy Allen, to become the HFC of the Ballinger Bearcats.  After 5 years at Ballinger, Coach Priest had won 98 football games (as a head football coach) in his first ten years, and he was riding high into Gatesville, Texas, as the newly hired leader of the Hornet football program.  Coach Priest won 16 games in 6 years at Gatesville and his story of of the time he spent in Gatesville is every bit as interesting, honest, and fun to listen to, as the great triumphs of his life and career.  Coach Priest is pictured above, to the right of Coach Gary Proffitt, following the 2009 UIL State Championship won by the Goldthwaite Eagles.  Coach Priest's description of the picture is as follows "Gary's 4th and my 5th. I started adding Gary's to mine after I retired. When you get over 60 you can do that."   

Jul 31, 202001:29:52
#41 Gary Proffitt
Jul 24, 202001:19:05
#40 Lynn Graves
Jul 17, 202002:12:33
#39 Matt Wernecke
May 20, 202038:42
#38 Callan Nokes
May 19, 202042:07
#37 Rose Helmke
Apr 12, 202038:53
#36 Sam Harrell
Apr 01, 202001:15:36
#34 Tale Lights Podclass Dos!

#34 Tale Lights Podclass Dos!

Get ready for another Podblast! That's right, COVID-19 may keep on kicking, but so does the Tale Lights Podclass! Enjoy this ad free version of the podcast, and satisfy the yearn to learn, woooooo!
Mar 30, 202001:01:32
#33 Rick Bachman
Mar 29, 202059:50
#32 Scott Hippensteel
Mar 29, 202001:17:02
#31 Ben H. English
Mar 27, 202001:45:54
#30 Billy Nabours
Mar 26, 202001:29:01
#29 Mike Barnett
Mar 24, 202001:28:55
#28 Jennifer Fox
Mar 23, 202055:16
#27 The Tale Lights Podclass!

#27 The Tale Lights Podclass!

Join me for an ad free version of the Tale Lights Podcast that transforms into the Tale Lights Podclass! My kids are yearning for the learning and I've got the fire to keep on burning baby, woooooo! Quarantine? Coronavirus? Any of that stopping you? It might have stopped the STAAR Test, but as my students know, the value and importance of learning history goes far beyond a silly test, it's the key to freedom. The only way we remain the greatest society on earth, as free thinking and speaking citizens in the paradise of the globe, is to take the time to understand the importance and sacrifice made by those that came before us. From the bloodshed on the battlefields, to the knock-down-drag-outs in politics, we pick up right where we left off, to ensure students receive a full-fledged, top-notch, 21st century education, that will make others around the globe, yearn for what you are about to learn! Nothing stops this train. Be ready because we're picking up right where we left off. Civil Rights in chapter 16. Don't have a book, you say? HA, I'm reading it aloud to you!!! Each edition of the Tale Lights Podclass will include a lecture (also posted on my canvas page as the Chapter 16 lecture), a read along of the textbook to follow, and life advice at the beginning. Chicka chicka, CHOOOO CHOOOOO! Let's roll!
Mar 23, 202001:09:03
#26 Greg Dick
Mar 17, 202001:04:09
#25 Michael O'Rourke
Mar 14, 202043:13
#24 Richard Herbst
Mar 13, 202001:29:46
#23 Brent Kornegay
Feb 17, 202040:54
#22 Floyd Ciruti
Jan 03, 202049:12
#21 Walt Wendtland
Jan 01, 202035:13
#20 Chuck Foster
Dec 24, 201901:09:37
#19 Dub Farris
Sep 30, 201957:29
Tale Lights #18 Alan Rich
Aug 26, 201947:51
Tale Lights #17 Devlyn Lovell
Aug 25, 201901:51:34
Tale Lights #16 Dr. Robert Zayas

Tale Lights #16 Dr. Robert Zayas

Coach Zayas coached me twenty years ago in the eighth grade, when I was a snot-nosed little punk in the jr. high at Boerne Middle School! Believe me, I was not easy to deal with! Fast-forward two decades later and this man is in charge of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (or what we call the "UIL" here in Texas). Coach spent a couple of years in Texas Public Education as a teacher and coach in Boerne and at Pflugerville Connally, prior to heading to New Mexico to work on his PhD. He ended up landing a job that lasted ten year with the New Mexico Activities Association (Similar to UIL), prior to taking a chance at the Executive Director role with the NYSPHSAA, and landing the job! We'll be talking all about Athletic Administration and what it takes to be in that line of work for our listeners that are interested in that particular area.
Aug 06, 201942:53
Tale Lights #15 Steve Van Meter
Jul 29, 201901:29:43
Tale Lights #14 Russell Hawkins
Jun 21, 201901:15:59
Tale Lights #13 Stan Leech
Jun 21, 201901:20:51
Tale Lights #12 Bill Sultenfuss
Jun 20, 201945:53
Tale Lights #11 Dave Fulkerson
Jun 20, 201901:24:25
Tale Lights #10.2 Bob Ledbetter
Jun 07, 201957:48
Tale Lights #10.1 Bob Ledbetter
Jun 07, 201947:24
Tale Lights #9.2 Paul Talbert
Jun 04, 201901:13:41
Tale Lights #9.1 Paul Talbert
Jun 04, 201959:44
Tale Lights #8.3 Danny Threadgill
Jun 01, 201901:32:53
Tale Lights #8.2 Danny Threadgill
Jun 01, 201901:54:57
Tale Lights #8.1 Danny Threadgill
Jun 01, 201901:30:17
Tale Lights #7 Paul Darden
May 22, 201901:12:24
Tale Lights #4.2 Larry Taylor
May 06, 201901:41:39
Tale Lights #6 - Mike Chaney
May 06, 201901:26:60
Tale Lights #3 - Ron Mills
May 04, 201901:51:39
Tale Lights #5 - Cagen Chaney and the CDL
May 04, 201932:41