Louise athletic director among coaches leaving
By CHRIS BARBEE cbarbee@leader-news.com

Louise Athletic Director Rodney Dowell cited personal reasons for his decision to leave the district at the end of the year. L-N File Photo

Louise ISD Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Rodney Dowell tendered his resignation Tuesday morning. He should remain with the district through his contract period, which ends in June.

"Unless I find an AD job," he said. If he does he might need to leave early to put his staff together. If that doesn't happen, he said he'd start looking at some assistant jobs or some head basketball coaching jobs.

"I'm not burned out. I want to be an AD again. I don't want people to think it's a deal where I'm having to leave, or I've done something wrong. That's certainly not the case. I want to be closer to my dad," he told the Leader-News Friday morning.

Dowell, who was reared in Lubbock, where his father still lives, said he wants to get back to that area so his dad can watch his grandson participate in athletics.

"He's a big sports fan. When I coached in the Panhandle my dad didn't miss a game. And it didn't matter if it was a track meet or whatever. It's been hard on him being away from the boys," the coach said.

"He's going into the eighth grade," he said of his son, adding he would not want to pull him out of high school to make a move, so now is a good time.

LISD Superintendent Andy Peters notified the Leader-News of Dowell's decision, which came on the heels of the Louise school board not taking action on the coach's contract after coming out of executive session Monday night. The board did renew the principals and technology director, but did not mention the AD position.

"He hasn't done anything wrong," Peters said. "He's wanting to go one direction, and we're wanting to go a different direction."

The superintendent said he would "look within" before opening the posi- tion to out-of-district applicants.

"We want to keep our direction together. There are a couple of senior coaches on the staff who might be interested. In fact, we hope they are. We've given them a week or so to think about it. If they are interested we'll interview them and maybe take a name to the board. If not, then we'll open it up," Peters said.

Dowell said he was surprised that the board did not take action on his contract, but said he had pretty well made up his mind already that he would try to get back to the Lubbock area this next school year for family reasons.

He did acknowledge there were probably some politics involved with the board not taking action, including the fact the board knew he had taken a look at a couple of openings, including one in Edna.

"It's a good time for the kids of Louise. I'm not leaving 'em dry. I'm not leaving 'em in bad shape. I'm leaving them with a great opportunity where someone can come in here and continue to do what I feel we've done," he said. "It's just personal, but it's really tough.

"I don't have a job. But in fairness to the kids of Louise, if this is the direction I want to go, I need to let it happen and let it happen early."

Dowell, whose coaching style and charisma have taken the Hornet varsity football team from records of 4-6 in 2005 and 5-5 in 2006 to an 8-4 season and playoff berth in 2007, is only the fourth Louise AD in the past 22 years to stay as long as three seasons. Others were Bill Johnson from 1986-1988, John Baker from 1995-1998 and Rob Murray from 1999-2001.

"I really don't want to go, I just think it's the right thing for my family ... and our community" Dowell said.

"I want the kids of Louise to succeed. They've done a lot for me and I appreciate the opportunity they've given me here. The community's been great, the kids have been great ... I couldn't ask for more."

Peters said he received another resignation Friday when track coach Craig Jackson notified him he'd accepted a head coach and athletic director job in the Class A Booker ISD, located in the Panhandle.

Robert Workman picked up the softball coaching duties when the teacher/coach hired to handle softball, Randy Swain, had to leave school in October for medical reasons.

And cross country and track coach Lisa Koenig is currently on maternity leave. She delivered twin boys Feb. 11.