Gary Gaines
Encyclopedia
Gary Gaines is a high school football coach. Gaines was the head coach
of the 1988 Permian High School
football
team which was the focus of the H. G. Bissinger
book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream and the 2004 motion picture Friday Night Lights starring Billy Bob Thornton
. Gaines would go on to work as an assistant at Texas Tech University
recruiting and coaching linebackers such as current NFL player Zach Thomas
.
Gaines was the 17th head college football
coach for the Abilene Christian University Wildcats
located in Abilene, Texas
and he held that position for five seasons, from 2000 until 2004. Gaines' coaching record at Abilene Christian was 21 wins, 30 losses, and 0 ties. As of the conclusion of the 2007 season, this ranks him tenth at Abilene Christian in total wins and 16th at Abilene Christian in winning percentage . The Wildcats won the Lone Star Conference South Division championship in 2002.
In 2005 Gaines moved on to serve as the athletic director
for Ector County Independent School District
, the same district of which Permian High School is a part. In 2007 took the position of athletic director for the Lubbock Independent School District
.
On March 9, 2009, Permian announced that Gaines would return as head coach of Permian after Darren Allman left for Austin Westlake. The Panthers were 8–4 in the 2009 season under Gaines.
Gaines is also a public speaker. Speaking to high schools and colleges across the country, Gary gives insight on teamwork, leadership, winning and success on and off the field.
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the 1988 Permian High School
Permian High School
Permian High School is a public high school located in Odessa, Texas and is part of the Ector County Independent School District. It was the subject of the book Friday Night Lights which in turn inspired a movie and TV series of the same name.-History:...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team which was the focus of the H. G. Bissinger
H. G. Bissinger
Harry Gerard Bissinger III, also known as H. G. Bissinger and Buzz Bissinger , is an American journalist and author, best known for his non-fiction book Friday Night Lights.-Early life and education:...
book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream and the 2004 motion picture Friday Night Lights starring Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
. Gaines would go on to work as an assistant at Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
recruiting and coaching linebackers such as current NFL player Zach Thomas
Zach Thomas
Zachary Michael Thomas is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Tech....
.
Gaines was the 17th head college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach for the Abilene Christian University Wildcats
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
located in Abilene, Texas
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
and he held that position for five seasons, from 2000 until 2004. Gaines' coaching record at Abilene Christian was 21 wins, 30 losses, and 0 ties. As of the conclusion of the 2007 season, this ranks him tenth at Abilene Christian in total wins and 16th at Abilene Christian in winning percentage . The Wildcats won the Lone Star Conference South Division championship in 2002.
In 2005 Gaines moved on to serve as the athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
for Ector County Independent School District
Ector County Independent School District
Ector County Independent School District is a public school district based in Odessa, Texas .In addition to Odessa, the district also serves the communities of West Odessa, Gardendale, and Goldsmith as well as rural areas in Ector County....
, the same district of which Permian High School is a part. In 2007 took the position of athletic director for the Lubbock Independent School District
Lubbock Independent School District
Lubbock Independent School District was established in 1907. Accredited by the Texas Education Agency, LISD is the largest school district that serves the city of Lubbock, Texas . The Lubbock Independent School District covers and contains nearly of school properties that are owned by the local...
.
On March 9, 2009, Permian announced that Gaines would return as head coach of Permian after Darren Allman left for Austin Westlake. The Panthers were 8–4 in the 2009 season under Gaines.
Gaines is also a public speaker. Speaking to high schools and colleges across the country, Gary gives insight on teamwork, leadership, winning and success on and off the field.