A coach remembered
Fred Hedgecoke, a Stinnett High School graduate, coached at McLean for only five years before leaving for Muleshoe, a larger school, in 1969. He later served as head football coach and then athletic director at DeSoto before retiring. When he died this July 21 at age 86 in Garland, he had remained in touch with several of the men he had coached in the Texas Panhandle.
Mike Haynes, a former McLean player and columnist for the Amarillo Globe-News and Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, reflected on Hedgecoke's influence in a recent column. "He still remains one of my life influences," Haynes wrote.
Hedgecoke's five seasons at McLean created a permanent bond between him, his players, and the community. Even after he moved on, players kept in touch. "While some of his players continued to address him as 'Coach,' others became adult friends and called him 'Fred,'" Haynes recalled.
From player to coach
Hedgecoke's own playing career included standout performances. As a high school player at Stinnett, his team lost to Deer Park 7-0 in the 1955 Class 1A state finals, then beat Hondo 35-13 in 1956 to win the Texas championship. He went on to play college football at West Texas State from 1958 to 1960, leading the Buffaloes in receiving in 1959.
At McLean, Hedgecoke's coaching style was unapologetically disciplined. He banned alcohol and carbonated drinks, required players to stay away from girls during the season, forbade facial hair, and demanded white shirts and ties at pep rallies and games. He called his team the "Golden Boys," had them take yellow salt pills, and made them run backwards in sweats during workouts.
Assistant coaches under Hedgecoke included Jim Morgan, Bob Schneider, Jim Goss, Curtis Didway, Don Smith, and Cam Shields.
A lasting legacy
Hedgecoke's influence extended beyond his years at McLean. He kept black-and-white game film of his McLean teams and showed some of it at the 50th reunion of Haynes's class. "I was gratified to see on the film that I did make some blocks and tackles," Haynes wrote.
A group of about five former players drove to Muleshoe to see Hedgecoke's team play during his first season there. "Even then, we still thought of him as 'our' coach," Haynes said.
Hedgecoke also coached basketball with an emphasis on hustle and toughness, and he studied a California university's new I-formation and incorporated it into his offensive scheme.
In 2018, McLean won its first state championship in six-man football, with Hedgecoke watching from the stands at Cowboys Stadium. That year, Hedgecoke posted a message to the McLean, Panhandle, and West Texas High football teams competing in the state playoffs, encouraging them.
Beyond football
Hedgecoke's creativity extended to writing. His first novel, "Football, Fugitives & Fading Dreams," was published in 2018, and he followed it with five more novels.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Connie Hedgecoke, and was survived by his son Rob Hedgecoke and daughter Chi Lynn Nafe. A memorial service took place Aug. 8 in DeSoto.
Hedgecoke's connection to the community remained strong through the years. Thacker Haynes, a cousin and Methodist pastor at McLean, drew Hedgecoke to church after reunions, and Hedgecoke watched sermons online from his home in Garland.
Mike Haynes, who taught journalism at Amarillo College from 1991 to 2016 and has written for the Faith section since 1997, closed his column with gratitude: "Just thanks, and we'll see you later."