Jay Higgins (in green) with former players and assistant coaches.
Jacky Russell (center, in blue shirt) with former players and assistant coaches.
Jay Higgins and Jacky Russell were showered with praise from former players and assistant coaches Sunday night as the Lake Highlands High School Education Foundation, Alumni Association and Wildcat Club teamed up to present their first ever Distinguished Service Awards.
Higgins coached baseball for the Wildcats from 1967 to 2011, where he earned 798 wins and District Coach of the Year 29 times. He also served as athletic trainer and taught biology, geology, health and physical education. He won 26 district championships and was inducted into the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2010. Among the players he coached who went on to play in the major or minor leagues are Scott Livingstone (Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres), Don Welchel (Baltimore Orioles), Ben Jenkins (Philadelphia Phillies), Jordan Tata (Detroit Tigers), Craig Thompson (San Diego Padres) and Scott Tousa (Detroit Tigers).
“The baseball camps you put on were legendary,” said Jenkins, founder of Warstic Bat. “All I ever wanted when I was 8 or 9 years old was to play for Higgins. When I see former classmates, everybody asks, ‘Have you seen Coach?’ and we all know who they mean. I love you, man.”
“Thank you, Coach Higgins, for inviting me to be a coach right out of college,” said Bobby Burns, retired superintendent for Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. “You taught me to be a better coach, a better husband and a better father.”
Jacky Russell served as head men’s and women’s track and cross country coach, where he won state championships in 1963 (2A), 1964 (3A) and 1965 (4A). He also helped win three district championships as assistant football coach under Bill Georges.
Russell coached two track All-Americans: Mike Cronholm (1969) and Aaron Donell (1976), along with six All-State athletes: Charles Starr (1964), Don Mullman (1967), Dick Martin (1969) and Becky McClenny (1975) in addition to Cronholm and Donnell. Fourteen of his track and field athletes were ranked in the top ten in Texas: Cronholm, Donnell, McClenny, Ronnie Williams (1969), Maggie Riley (1970), Pat Yancy (1971), George Hill (1972), Ben Lyle (1972), Bryan Ottmer (1973), Brooks Purnell (1974), Denise Pearson (1974), Chuck Bell (1975 & 1976), Mike Clayton (1976) and Eunice Flanagan (1975 & 1976).
“I don’t know of any other coach that won successive state track championships in three different divisions,” said Bill Bryan from the LHHS Class of 1964. “You’re the best. You turned us loose and let us run.”
“For about 40 years, we’ve proudly called Lake Highlands High School the ‘School of Champions,” said Dr. Bob Iden, retired LHHS principal. “This man is a huge reason for that. He brought us state championships, and there will be many more to come.”
If you’d like to join the Alumni Association, you may learn more here. Silver Cats (50+ year graduates) will be hosting a Homecoming Party on the Patio at Wildcat Stadium Friday, September 27, and you may purchase tickets here.
Dr. Bob Iden, Alan Walne, Joan Walne and Debby Kondrach.
Dr. Kerry Goad, Jill Goad, Carol Baker and Steve Baker.
Meredith Floyd Mosley and Sarah Walne Hefton.
Dr. Bob Iden, Leonard Carey and Cindy Carey.
