Just days after being named the new athletic director and head football coach, Stacey Alexander and his family were in Stratford on Wednesday night, being formally introduced to school, the coaching staff, student-athletes, and community members, during a special press conference.
This new hire is an unprecedented move for Stratford ISD.
The Elks haven’t gone outside their own office for a new coach since Brad Thiessen in 1994. Though it was an incredibly tough decision, Stratford ISD superintendent, Doctor Paul Uttley, says it’s one he’s confident in.
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“We had two quality candidates on staff that were very qualified and we had confidence in,” Uttley said. “But, we are looking at what the best fit for Stratford ISD is right now. I think the world of both guys that were finalists, but the best fit for us right now was going outside. It was a very hard decision, but we feel we got the right guy for the job.”
Alexander, a Clarendon graduate, is a veteran in the profession, coaching 26 years with stops as an assistant at Tascosa, Pampa, Weatherford, Springtown and most recently Amarillo High. Alexander served the last four years as the Sandies offensive coordinator, leading AHS to the best offensive performance in the history of the school, averaging over 40 points and piling up 466 yards per game.
While he loved his time at AHS, getting back to a small community, and a tradition-rich athletic program like Stratford was too hard for Alexander to pass on.
“This is an unbelievable opportunity,” Alexander said. “You wake up with new thoughts, but I’m so excited to be a part of a community like this. I can’t wait to get the boots on the ground and get my family here. This place has such a great tradition, and not hiring from the outside in so long was a big topic of conversation. But I have a great track record with coaches and people, and I’ll bet on myself.”
Uttley echoed Alexander’s comment.
“From what we gathered, and it seems obvious, is, coach Alexander is a high character person,” Uttley said. “He is a kid magnet and he will coach the players hard, but he’ll love them even harder. His resume speaks for itself and everything about him checked the boxes. What I really like about him, is he’s a Texas Panhandle guy, and he wants to be a part of this tradition.”
Alexander met with the current coaching staff as well as the Stratford football team Wednesday with his message for what he wants this program to be.
“I told the players, I felt like I left the best job I ever had at Springtown,” Alexander said. “We built Springtown into a winner, and then at Amarillo High, I coached one of the best groups I’ve ever coached. So, when I asked the players, what town does it sound like I just described when I talked about those two places, the players said, Stratford. I was like, you’re right.”