High School Football
2 Tim. 4:2 says, “Preach the Word. Be prepared in Season and out of season. Correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.” We host a Mom’s Clinic each year to teach a little football and cap it off with our Mom’s praying in every part of our stadium for everyone associated with a Friday night game as well as for our opponents. We host a Father/Son Kickoff Luncheon to start the season and Breakfast to close out the year. Our team hosts the Azleway Boys Ranch for an annual practice, 7 on 7 game and devotions with a meal each season during our bye week. In the past, our team has taken part in many other community service projects, such as washing cars for our teachers and support staff as a way to show our appreciation and welcome them back to school, baking cookies for our local law enforcement, working with the Salvation Army to assemble bikes, and collecting bug spray and suntan lotion for the homeless. Our team is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Heart of a Champion Bowl each June. We have a team devotion before every game and the Cougar football team has been in the playoffs 11 out of the past 12 years, winning one district title, 3 Bi-District titles and a Regional championship.
Message from Coach Russell, click here.
NEWS
CALENDAR
No events found.
Tim Russell
Head Football & Track and Field Coach
Tim Russell
Head Football & Track and Field Coach
B.A., University of Houston
Coach Russell has coached football for 30 years. He lives by the words in II Timothy 4:2 which states “There is no offseason!” He is married to the former Jana Crosby and the two graduated from the University of Houston in 1991. Tim and Jana have two daughters: Bailee and Macey. Macey attends Harding University, and Bailee was killed by a drunk driver in 2016. Coach Russell enjoys the team atmosphere that each great football team possesses.
Booker Bowie
Football Coach
Booker Bowie
Football Coach
Billy Edwards
Mathematics, Football & Golf Coach
Billy Edwards
Mathematics, Football & Golf Coach
B.S., Jarvis Christian University
Coach Edwards is a graduate of North Mesquite High School. He played college football at Ouachita Baptist University and received his Master’s Degree as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Delta State University. Edwards has been an educator for 36 years and has recently retired from public education where coached at Harmony High School for the past 10 years with Coach Russell. Before his time at Harmony, Billy was the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Little Elm, Venus, and S and S High School. Coach Edwards is married to Audra. Ethan, their oldest son, is married to Lindsey and he is a coach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas. Their daughter, Allyson, serves as a Youth Minister in Little Rock and she has recently married Zack Kelley. Their youngest son, Isaac, plays college football at Ouachita Baptist University. Edwards has served as a deacon at Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview, Calvary Baptist Church in Mesquite, and is currently attending New Hope Baptist Church.
Kendall Fox
Physical Education, Football & Track and Field Coach
Kendall Fox
Physical Education, Football & Track and Field Coach
B.S., University of Texas, Tyler
Kendall has worked in the middle school since 2010 at Grace Community School. He has taught sixth grade P.E and coached high school baseball and football during his time at the school. Kendall has received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. He is happily married to Emily Fox and they both work with the student ministry at Grace Community Church.
Grant Gaston
Football Coach
Grant Gaston
Football Coach
Coach Gaston has been coaching football for 15 years, including serving as the Founder for FAST Football Camps, Inc., a ministry with the purpose of leading kids into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ by sharing the Gospel through football camps and clinics. Grant is a partner in the law firm, Gaston & Lindley, PLLC, where he focuses on estate planning, guardianships, business law, and mediation. He may be an attorney by trade, but his true passion is coaching football and helping to develop men of character and integrity. Coach Gaston has coached both offense and defense and is currently serving as the head coach for Grace Middle School. His mantra: Compete-Finish-Love.
Chris Hemphill
Bible, Head Soccer, Football Coach, & Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
Chris Hemphill
Bible, Head Soccer, Football Coach, & Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
B.A., University of Georgia
Coach Hemphill has played soccer for twenty years, both at the high school and college level. He set the Georgia 5A state record for career goals with 115, was a First Team All-District, and District MVP selection. He played football for The University of Georgia for one year, and was a two-year starter for the Darton College Cavaliers soccer team in Albany, Georgia, earning All-Conference honors. He earned a trial for a professional team in England before retiring to pursue ministry. Coach Hemphill has coached soccer off and on for ten years. He served as an assistant coach at Lee County High School and Deerfield-Windsor School (Georgia). He currently coaches the middle school soccer teams for Grace and is an assistant coach for the boys and girls varsity teams. He also coaches a girls club team for FC Dallas in Tyler. In addition to soccer, Coach Hemphill has coached middle school and high school football at Grace Community School since 2010. He is also an online seminary student pursuing a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics.
Kyle Hope
Varsity Baseball and Football Coach & Assistant Athletic Director
Kyle Hope
Varsity Baseball and Football Coach & Assistant Athletic Director
M.S., Henderson State University
Coach Hope has thirty-eight years of coaching experience on the high school and collegiate levels. He has had coaching stints at Garland High School, Allen High School, Highland Park High School, Richardson High School, and Liberty Christian School. The Highland Park squad captured the 1998 State Championship. This past spring, Coach Hope was instrumental in helping Liberty Christian win the 2019 TAPPS Division 1 State Championship. He was voted Coach of the Year in 2010 while at Richardson, and that same year he was selected to coach in the North Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Game. Coach Hope coached two years at Henderson State University completing his Master’s degree and helped guide the team to post-season play each year. Two players were selected in the 1991 draft. In 2012, he accepted the pitching coach/recruiting coordinator position at Ouachita Baptist University. In his first season, the Tiger pitching staff was second in the conference in ERA. Coach Hope became head coach of the Tigers baseball program in 2015. The Tigers reached post-season play in three of his six seasons at Ouachita and three pitchers were taken in the MLB draft during his tenure. Additionally, Coach Hope spent five summers coaching the McKinney Marshals in the Texas Collegiate League earning four playoff appearances, three championship berths and a league title in 2006. He also captured the TCL Coach of the Year honor in 2004. Several players off those squads were selected in MLB drafts. Coach Hope has served as Regional Director for the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association. He is a member of the THSBCA and American Baseball Coaches Association. Coach Hope has been a sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has served in churches as deacon, director of a young married class, and youth Teacher. Kyle and his wife, Cindy, have two children. Daughter, Erin, is married to Jordan Allen and they have two children, Gentry and Camden. They currently serve on the CRU staff at SFA in Nacogdoches, TX. Son, Ryan, is married to Haley and they live in McKinney, TX.
Chris Jones
Bible, Football & Baseball Coach
Chris Jones
Bible, Football & Baseball Coach
Coach Jones joined the Grace Community School in 2022. He has an extensive coaching career, including Allen High School, Decatur High School, and Prestwood Christian Academy. He has an undergraduate and master’s degree from the University of North Texas.
Mike Maddox
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
Mike Maddox
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
B.A., Texas A&M University
Coach Mike Maddox returned to the Grace Community School family in spring 2022 to work with the track athletes. He is an experienced track and football coach, and he previously served as the head varsity football coach at Grace Community School from 2006 to 2017. So naturally, he has signed on to be the varsity offensive coordinator for the Grace Cougar Football Program. His coaching philosophy comes from 2 Timothy 4:2.
He believes in relating to students on and off the field, and that winning will take care of itself through a positive program. Coach Maddox also believes athletes should act right, do right, and compete with all their hearts. Because of this, athletics is fun for them and everyone involved.
Coach Maddox has also served as head coach at Alba-Golden and Union Groce. He has been recognized for his leadership and accomplishment: he is a six-time Coach of the Year, served as the Offensive Coordinator for the State Champion Gilmer Buckeyes, featured in the Texas High School Coaches Association, Greater East Texas Track and Field Coach of the Year, coached six All-State Quarterbacks and eight State Champion Hurdlers, led Grace Cougars to an 83-37 record with eight straight playoff appearances, NCSAA National Coach of the Year, and Best Preps East Texas Athletic Director of the Year while at Lindale (5A) School.
Ric Radcliffe
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
Ric Radcliffe
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
B.A., Wheaton College
Ric has been teaching history at the high school level since 2012, and has been with Grace Community School since 2015. He received his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and History/Social Sciences with an endorsement in Math from Wheaton College, where he also had the privilege to play college football. He has been married to Mrs. Radcliffe since the summer of 2013. She, too, is currently working at Grace Community School in the middle school as the eighth grade math teacher. Ric also serves as a football coach on both the varsity and junior varsity levels, as well as one of the high school track and field coaches.
Junior Varsity Football
2 Tim. 4:2 says, “Preach the Word. Be prepared in Season and out of season. Correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.” We host a Mom’s Clinic each year to teach a little football and cap it off with our Mom’s praying in every part of our stadium for everyone associated with a Friday night game as well as for our opponents. We host a Father/Son Kickoff Luncheon to start the season and Breakfast to close out the year. Our team hosts the Azleway Boys Ranch for an annual practice, 7 on 7 game and devotions with a meal each season during our bye week. In the past, our team has taken part in many other community service projects, such as washing cars for our teachers and support staff as a way to show our appreciation and welcome them back to school, baking cookies for our local law enforcement, working with the Salvation Army to assemble bikes, and collecting bug spray and suntan lotion for the homeless. Our team is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Heart of a Champion Bowl each June. We have a team devotion before every game and the Cougar football team has been in the playoffs 11 out of the past 12 years, winning one district title, 3 Bi-District titles and a Regional championship.
NEWS
CALENDAR
No events found.
Tim Russell
Head Football & Track and Field Coach
Tim Russell
Head Football & Track and Field Coach
B.A., University of Houston
Coach Russell has coached football for 30 years. He lives by the words in II Timothy 4:2 which states “There is no offseason!” He is married to the former Jana Crosby and the two graduated from the University of Houston in 1991. Tim and Jana have two daughters: Bailee and Macey. Macey attends Harding University, and Bailee was killed by a drunk driver in 2016. Coach Russell enjoys the team atmosphere that each great football team possesses.
Booker Bowie
Football Coach
Booker Bowie
Football Coach
Billy Edwards
Mathematics, Football & Golf Coach
Billy Edwards
Mathematics, Football & Golf Coach
B.S., Jarvis Christian University
Coach Edwards is a graduate of North Mesquite High School. He played college football at Ouachita Baptist University and received his Master’s Degree as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Delta State University. Edwards has been an educator for 36 years and has recently retired from public education where coached at Harmony High School for the past 10 years with Coach Russell. Before his time at Harmony, Billy was the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Little Elm, Venus, and S and S High School. Coach Edwards is married to Audra. Ethan, their oldest son, is married to Lindsey and he is a coach at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas. Their daughter, Allyson, serves as a Youth Minister in Little Rock and she has recently married Zack Kelley. Their youngest son, Isaac, plays college football at Ouachita Baptist University. Edwards has served as a deacon at Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview, Calvary Baptist Church in Mesquite, and is currently attending New Hope Baptist Church.
Kendall Fox
Physical Education, Football & Track and Field Coach
Kendall Fox
Physical Education, Football & Track and Field Coach
B.S., University of Texas, Tyler
Kendall has worked in the middle school since 2010 at Grace Community School. He has taught sixth grade P.E and coached high school baseball and football during his time at the school. Kendall has received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler. He is happily married to Emily Fox and they both work with the student ministry at Grace Community Church.
Grant Gaston
Football Coach
Grant Gaston
Football Coach
Coach Gaston has been coaching football for 15 years, including serving as the Founder for FAST Football Camps, Inc., a ministry with the purpose of leading kids into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ by sharing the Gospel through football camps and clinics. Grant is a partner in the law firm, Gaston & Lindley, PLLC, where he focuses on estate planning, guardianships, business law, and mediation. He may be an attorney by trade, but his true passion is coaching football and helping to develop men of character and integrity. Coach Gaston has coached both offense and defense and is currently serving as the head coach for Grace Middle School. His mantra: Compete-Finish-Love.
Chris Hemphill
Bible, Head Soccer, Football Coach, & Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
Chris Hemphill
Bible, Head Soccer, Football Coach, & Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
B.A., University of Georgia
Coach Hemphill has played soccer for twenty years, both at the high school and college level. He set the Georgia 5A state record for career goals with 115, was a First Team All-District, and District MVP selection. He played football for The University of Georgia for one year, and was a two-year starter for the Darton College Cavaliers soccer team in Albany, Georgia, earning All-Conference honors. He earned a trial for a professional team in England before retiring to pursue ministry. Coach Hemphill has coached soccer off and on for ten years. He served as an assistant coach at Lee County High School and Deerfield-Windsor School (Georgia). He currently coaches the middle school soccer teams for Grace and is an assistant coach for the boys and girls varsity teams. He also coaches a girls club team for FC Dallas in Tyler. In addition to soccer, Coach Hemphill has coached middle school and high school football at Grace Community School since 2010. He is also an online seminary student pursuing a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics.
Kyle Hope
Varsity Baseball and Football Coach & Assistant Athletic Director
Kyle Hope
Varsity Baseball and Football Coach & Assistant Athletic Director
M.S., Henderson State University
Coach Hope has thirty-eight years of coaching experience on the high school and collegiate levels. He has had coaching stints at Garland High School, Allen High School, Highland Park High School, Richardson High School, and Liberty Christian School. The Highland Park squad captured the 1998 State Championship. This past spring, Coach Hope was instrumental in helping Liberty Christian win the 2019 TAPPS Division 1 State Championship. He was voted Coach of the Year in 2010 while at Richardson, and that same year he was selected to coach in the North Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Game. Coach Hope coached two years at Henderson State University completing his Master’s degree and helped guide the team to post-season play each year. Two players were selected in the 1991 draft. In 2012, he accepted the pitching coach/recruiting coordinator position at Ouachita Baptist University. In his first season, the Tiger pitching staff was second in the conference in ERA. Coach Hope became head coach of the Tigers baseball program in 2015. The Tigers reached post-season play in three of his six seasons at Ouachita and three pitchers were taken in the MLB draft during his tenure. Additionally, Coach Hope spent five summers coaching the McKinney Marshals in the Texas Collegiate League earning four playoff appearances, three championship berths and a league title in 2006. He also captured the TCL Coach of the Year honor in 2004. Several players off those squads were selected in MLB drafts. Coach Hope has served as Regional Director for the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association. He is a member of the THSBCA and American Baseball Coaches Association. Coach Hope has been a sponsor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has served in churches as deacon, director of a young married class, and youth Teacher. Kyle and his wife, Cindy, have two children. Daughter, Erin, is married to Jordan Allen and they have two children, Gentry and Camden. They currently serve on the CRU staff at SFA in Nacogdoches, TX. Son, Ryan, is married to Haley and they live in McKinney, TX.
Chris Jones
Bible, Football & Baseball Coach
Chris Jones
Bible, Football & Baseball Coach
Coach Jones joined the Grace Community School in 2022. He has an extensive coaching career, including Allen High School, Decatur High School, and Prestwood Christian Academy. He has an undergraduate and master’s degree from the University of North Texas.
Mike Maddox
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
Mike Maddox
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
B.A., Texas A&M University
Coach Mike Maddox returned to the Grace Community School family in spring 2022 to work with the track athletes. He is an experienced track and football coach, and he previously served as the head varsity football coach at Grace Community School from 2006 to 2017. So naturally, he has signed on to be the varsity offensive coordinator for the Grace Cougar Football Program. His coaching philosophy comes from 2 Timothy 4:2.
He believes in relating to students on and off the field, and that winning will take care of itself through a positive program. Coach Maddox also believes athletes should act right, do right, and compete with all their hearts. Because of this, athletics is fun for them and everyone involved.
Coach Maddox has also served as head coach at Alba-Golden and Union Groce. He has been recognized for his leadership and accomplishment: he is a six-time Coach of the Year, served as the Offensive Coordinator for the State Champion Gilmer Buckeyes, featured in the Texas High School Coaches Association, Greater East Texas Track and Field Coach of the Year, coached six All-State Quarterbacks and eight State Champion Hurdlers, led Grace Cougars to an 83-37 record with eight straight playoff appearances, NCSAA National Coach of the Year, and Best Preps East Texas Athletic Director of the Year while at Lindale (5A) School.
Ric Radcliffe
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
Ric Radcliffe
History, Football & Track and Field Coach
B.A., Wheaton College
Ric has been teaching history at the high school level since 2012, and has been with Grace Community School since 2015. He received his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and History/Social Sciences with an endorsement in Math from Wheaton College, where he also had the privilege to play college football. He has been married to Mrs. Radcliffe since the summer of 2013. She, too, is currently working at Grace Community School in the middle school as the eighth grade math teacher. Ric also serves as a football coach on both the varsity and junior varsity levels, as well as one of the high school track and field coaches.
Middle School Football
2 Tim. 4:2 says, “Preach the Word. Be prepared in Season and out of season. Correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.” We host a Mom’s Clinic each year to teach a little football and cap it off with our Mom’s praying in every part of our stadium for everyone associated with a Friday night game as well as for our opponents. We host a Father/Son Kickoff Luncheon to start the season and Breakfast to close out the year. Our team hosts the Azleway Boys Ranch for an annual practice, 7 on 7 game and devotions with a meal each season during our bye week. In the past, our team has taken part in many other community service projects, such as washing cars for our teachers and support staff as a way to show our appreciation and welcome them back to school, baking cookies for our local law enforcement, working with the Salvation Army to assemble bikes, and collecting bug spray and suntan lotion for the homeless. Our team is involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Heart of a Champion Bowl each June. We have a team devotion before every game and the Cougar football team has been in the playoffs 11 out of the past 12 years, winning one district title, 3 Bi-District titles and a Regional championship.
NEWS
CALENDAR
No events found.
Grant Gaston
Football Coach
Grant Gaston
Football Coach
Coach Gaston has been coaching football for 15 years, including serving as the Founder for FAST Football Camps, Inc., a ministry with the purpose of leading kids into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ by sharing the Gospel through football camps and clinics. Grant is a partner in the law firm, Gaston & Lindley, PLLC, where he focuses on estate planning, guardianships, business law, and mediation. He may be an attorney by trade, but his true passion is coaching football and helping to develop men of character and integrity. Coach Gaston has coached both offense and defense and is currently serving as the head coach for Grace Middle School. His mantra: Compete-Finish-Love.
Chris Hemphill
Bible, Head Soccer, Football Coach, & Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
Chris Hemphill
Bible, Head Soccer, Football Coach, & Equity and Inclusion Coordinator
B.A., University of Georgia
Coach Hemphill has played soccer for twenty years, both at the high school and college level. He set the Georgia 5A state record for career goals with 115, was a First Team All-District, and District MVP selection. He played football for The University of Georgia for one year, and was a two-year starter for the Darton College Cavaliers soccer team in Albany, Georgia, earning All-Conference honors. He earned a trial for a professional team in England before retiring to pursue ministry. Coach Hemphill has coached soccer off and on for ten years. He served as an assistant coach at Lee County High School and Deerfield-Windsor School (Georgia). He currently coaches the middle school soccer teams for Grace and is an assistant coach for the boys and girls varsity teams. He also coaches a girls club team for FC Dallas in Tyler. In addition to soccer, Coach Hemphill has coached middle school and high school football at Grace Community School since 2010. He is also an online seminary student pursuing a master’s degree in Christian Apologetics.
Mark Wells
Football Coach
Mark Wells
Football Coach
B.S., University of North Texas
Coach Wells grew up in Tyler playing football, baseball, basketball, and track. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. After working as a U.S. Border Patrol Agent and later a U.S. Federal Air Marshal, Coach Wells returned to Tyler and married his high school sweetheart. They have three children, Hadlee (Grace ‘15), Dylan (Grace ‘17), and Brayden (Grace ‘26). Coach Wells and his wife, Andy, also volunteer with GSM at the Grace OJ campus. Coach Wells began coaching middle school track in 2020 and transitioned to middle school football that same Spring. Coach Wells is the offensive and defensive line coach for the middle school and serves as support for JV and Varsity football.