Recognizing their decades of distinguished service, Chris Coatings and the late Mel Maxfield gave the Texas Panhandle a great honor Saturday night in San Antonio as both were newly inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Koetting and Maxfield are inducted into the THSCA Hall of Fame Class of 2024, along with Lee Bridges, Ken Cook and Jack Murphy.
The accolades have continued to pour in since Koetting abruptly announced his retirement in the spring of 2023, citing the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Koetting was elected last June as the 201st member of the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame.
Koetting coached for 31 seasons, but his most notable tenure was when he led the Canadian Wildcat football program from 2010-2023.
In the 13 years that have flown by, Koetting has signed in capital letters as one of the most successful coaches in the Texas Panhandle region and the entire state with an .873 winning percentage.
Koetting, who took over as coach in 2010 after seven years as a Canadian assistant coach, compiled a 165-24 overall record as head coach, 49-10 in the playoffs and 13-0 in bidistrict play, reaching at least the state semifinals in nine of his 13 seasons and winning three UIL Texas High School Football State Championships in 2014, 2015 and 2020.
The only football coach from the Texas Panhandle to win three state football championships is the late, great Blair Cherry, who won titles in 1934, 1935 and 1936 with Amarillo High School.
Family, friends and former coaches gathered in San Antonio on Saturday night, and Courtning said it was a night he’ll never forget.
“I never thought this would happen to me,” Koetting said. “It feels amazing to be in the Hall of Fame. The ceremony is so amazing. It’s so incredible and it’s so great to share it with my family and friends.”
Seminole College president and former Canadian football head coach Kyle Lynch was among those inducted into the hall of fame Saturday. Lynch hired Koetting as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator in 2003. Lynch said he knew how special Koetting would be and it was an emotional moment to see him up on stage accepting coaching’s highest honor.
“It was amazing to see how many people drove down to San Antonio to support Coach Keating,” Lynch said. “That in itself speaks volumes about what he meant to his coaches, players, friends and family. It was only fitting that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame along with all of Texas’ past coaches. I’m grateful that they not only recognized his illustrious career, but also celebrated the positive impact he had on so many people. It was a great night.”
Current Canadiens football head coach Andy Cavalier, who served as an assistant under Koetting for nine seasons, also attended the banquet. Cavalier said it was a great night for the Koetting family and all of Canadientown.
“It was truly a great night for our community to have Coach Cawton inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He had so much success on the field during his playing career at Canadien that he is worthy of induction on that alone.”
“But what I like most about this induction is the focus on the life he has impacted. He has chosen to make a positive impact on others through sports his entire adult life, and this honor places him in an elite group of community leaders in the state of Texas.”
Mr Maxfield’s son, Max, was on hand Saturday to accept the honour on his late father’s behalf.
Maxfield spent 40 years in coaching, serving as head coach at Forney, Burleson, Amarillo High School and Monahans, and before his death in 2022 at age 64, he amassed more than 250 victories, making him one of the winningest coaches in Texas football history.
During his eight years at Amarillo High School, Maxfield compiled a 65-29 record and never missed the playoffs. Maxfield was named Nike Coach of the Year in 2006, was a multiple-time winner of the UIL Coach of the Year award and was the recipient of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Tom Landry Award.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Coach Maxfield,” AISD Athletic Director Brad Thiessen said, “He was a great person to everyone he was involved with. In addition to being a great football coach, he will be known for how well he treated his players and coaches. Mel never met a stranger.”
