By R. L. Harvey

During my discussion with Principal Stephen Haddox, this is what he had to say about his new coach and all the coaches at Buffalo Valley:

He [Coach Ethan Adams] has fit right in with our coaching staff. It is really enjoyable to watch them all together. We are rebuilding in most areas, but it is just the culture and mentality of our student-athletes that these coaches are building that makes our future so exciting. We keep growing, and it is a testament to our staff. We have built a team that kids and parents want to be a part of. Coach Adams is another key piece of our ‘building good people’ mentality. He won’t brag on himself. None of our coaches will. It is not about that to them. So, I get to do it for them!

I have watched Ethan play and I coached against his teams throughout his school years. My oldest step-son, Tucker LeMay, graduated with Ethan. They played ball together from elementary on, and I worked with both of his parents when I was at Whitesboro. Ethan had two of the best coaches around during his school years. Bryan Cartwright was his baseball coach, and Billy Karr was his basketball coach. He couldn’t have had much better training than that; those are two of the best still in the game!

To top it off, his dad, Mickey, was a heck of a ball player as well, and his grandpa, Arley [or Arlie] (not sure on spelling), was also a coach. I know he thought there wasn’t a better game created than baseball! Ethan was always like having another coach on the court or field. And to top it off, he could literally play any position on the field or court. That is not an exaggeration. All of the boys he played with were true students of the game and had the work ethic to match their talent and knowledge. He brings all of this pedigree with him. All this young man needed was the opportunity to let all that he knows about the game flow. I can’t even explain how excited I was to be able to give him that opportunity.

He comes from an amazing family and carries that with him along with his knowledge of athletics. He knows what character is and knows what happens when you combine that with skills, knowledge, and work ethic. Success. That is what he will continue to build here at Buffalo Valley. We have built one of the most exciting coaching staffs around, and Ethan brings even more to this staff of coaches. Excited for our future doesn’t begin to cover how I feel about our direction.

In conclusion, I’d like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Haddox for his willingness to share his insights with Arklahoma Sports. His enthusiasm is contagious, and his vision for Buffalo Valley’s future is nothing short of inspiring. As they say, “The future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades!”