Two high school football head coaching vacancies were filled over the past week at Hereford and Clarendon ISD’s.
Hereford named Matt Medley as the lone finalist during a board meeting Monday night and Medley accepted the new position to be the next head football coach as well as the athletic director of the Whitefaces on Tuesday morning.
Medley has spent the past five seasons as the offensive coordinator at Medina Valley.
“For me, Hereford has always seemed like a town that truly cares about athletics and have those type of hard working kids that love to compete,” Medley said. “They have a strong desire to be successful and the administration is very supportive, and does the best they can to get things done. The reputation at Hereford, is they have guys and girls that do things the right way and that drew me in. I’ve looking forward to coaching kids like that.”
This will be Medley’s first head coaching but he a veteran in the coaching ranks. Medley’s spent 19 years in the profession with stops at Midland High as well as Medina Valley, and now he’s looking forward to his chance to run an athletic program.
“I’m excited,” Medley said. “I want Hereford to know they are getting someone who loves kids and believes in accountability. We serve leadership and we’re just as committed to girls athletics as the boys side. When kids can trust you and they know you are there for them, they’ll run through a brick wall for you. I want these kids to know when they leave Hereford, I want them to leave with a plan for the future.”
Medley takes over a Whiteface team that went 2-8 last season.
On Wednesday night, Clarendon ISD approved and named Brenton Whitaker as the new athletic director and head football coach of the Broncos.
Whitaker spent last season as the Borger assistant head coach and offensive line coach.
“I am fired up,” Whitaker said. “I wasn’t expecting to be looking for a job, but sometimes unexpected change happens. My family and I can’t wait to be at Clarendon. The history at the school is tremendous and when I went for my interview, I was able to get a look at some of the athletes lifting and saw what we had going forward. It impressed me, and I just can’t wait to get started.”
Whitaker has tallied 14 total years in the coaching ranks and this will be his second head coaching job. Besides being at Borger, Whitaker was the Pittsburg offensive coordinator and was also the head coach for three years at North Lamar High School.
After getting to step back and be an assistant again, Whitaker is ready to get back in the main chair.
“I think Clarendon will learn that I’m a guy that loves kids,” Whitaker said. “My wife and I foster kids, so we have a servant heart. We are always going to have a competitive mindset and we’re going to work just as hard in academics as we are in athletics. We are ready to get going.”