Today the Austin American Statesman put out this article to celebrate Westlake High School’s 50th Anniversary:
Westlake at 50: The 50 most impactful sports figures in school history
James Baker: Former soccer star for Westlake in late 1990s and early 2000s and walk-on kicker for Texas football team now head boys soccer coach, kicking consultant for football team
Al Bennett: Hall-of-fame volleyball coach won four state titles and 27 district titles in his almost three decades from late 1980s to late 2010s.
Berry Boggs: First superstar for six-time state champion girls swimming program won three individual titles in early 1970s.
Jesse Boles: Longtime business manager for Eanes school district helped appropriate funds for athletics facilities boom in 1980s and 1990s.
Drew Brees: Future NFL Hall-of-Famer and 1997 Westlake graduate quarterbacked football program to lone state championship in 1996.
Lynne Bryant: Longtime lead assistant coach for both girls basketball, volleyball programs pivotal to success of girls athletic program in 1990s, 2000s.
Brad Buckman: School’s first McDonald’s All-American boys basketball player in early 2000s went on to University of Texas, long professional career overseas.
Howard Bushong: Baseball coach built Chaps into state power in 1970s and 1980s with two state titles and a record of 311-84 before moving onto college and pro ranks.
Toody Byrd: Longtime Westlake counselor in the 1970s and 1980s helped establish many of the school traditions still used today.
Holly Campbell: Only volleyball player in school history to play for U.S. junior national team now starring for collegiate powerhouse Stanford.
Tyler Campbell: One of two sons of Longhorn legend Earl Campbell to play football at Westlake in the early 2000s now motivational speaker and ambassador for the National MS Society.
Roger Chou: After winning individual 6A tennis title in 2017, teamed with Cyrus Sabharwal to win 2018 boys doubles championship.
Ken Dabbs: Westlake’s first football coach kicked off the program and maintained close ties with school during his career with the University of Texas football team.
Todd Dodge: Current head football coach and AD who did student teaching at Westlake in 1980s has returned program to state’s elite.
Tyler Duncan: Became Westlake’s first individual state boys golf champion in 2001 and led Chaps to fourth of nine team championships.
Sam Ehlinger: Current star QB at Texas holds virtually every passing record at a high school known for producing standout signal callers and led Chaps to title game in 2015.
Nick Foles: Set almost every school passing record while shepherding football team to state title game during tumultuous 2006 season and became second Westlake QB to win a Super Bowl in 2018.
Claudia Gruber: Multi-sport star in 1970s elevated girls athletics, helped turn Westlake into regional power.
Kelly Gruber: Arguably best all-time boys athlete at Westlake helped baseball team win 1980 state title before embarking on all-star Major League Baseball career.
Newt Hasson: Hall-of-fame team doctor and noted surgeon has volunteered services for almost four decades and has long organized athletic physicals.
Rachel Hemmer: The school’s only McDonald’s girls All-American basketball player elevated program in the 1980s and early 1990s before all-American career at Stanford.
Shay Holle: Current girls basketball standout – who also holds several school track and field records – in fourth year as a starter and most recruited girls player in a generation.
Mark Hurst: Beloved head track coach, assistant football coach and art teacher spent almost four decades in the Westlake athletic program.
Derek Long: Longtime football assistant became head football coach and athletic director in the 2000s and marshalled program through transitional decade.
Hank Masur: Started the track and field programs as well as the cross country programs in the 1970s and won multiple state titles in cross country.
Chris Mihm: Future Texas Longhorn and NBA lottery pick school’s first prep All-American boys basketball player in 1990s.
Matt Nader: Texas pledge as an offensive lineman suffered a nearly fatal heart attack during a Westlake football game in 2006, which prompted state law that requires presence of automated external defibrillator at all prep sporting events.
Ebbie Neptune: Former head football coach and AD oversaw athletic program’s growth from small school on fringe of Austin in 1970s to statewide powerhouse in 21st century.
Callan Nokes: Former football assistant and current assistant AD has led dynastic boys golf team to six state titles in 17 years as head golf coach.
Chuck Nowland: Affable girls golf coach tapped into area’s talent, turned formally mediocre program into state powerhouse with three state titles in 2000s, 2010s.
Trey Phillips: A state individual tennis champion in 1991 also won a doubles state championship with partner David Flanary in 1990.
Sheila Quigley: Best runner during golden era of girls cross country won three consecutive Class 4A titles from 1981-83.
Steve Ramsey: Current Westlake principal and finalist for head football coach job in 2009 who coached in football program and served as head soccer coach.
Don Rogers: Superintendent of the Eanes school district for much of the 1970s and 1980s championed athletic program.
Clint Sayers, Al Cowan and Robert Durkee: Won election to school board in late 1990s, spearheaded movement to keep Eanes a single-high school district.
Elizabeth Schmidt: Westlake’s only three-time state champion in tennis also helped Chaps win 1991 team tennis championship.
Julie Schmidt: Four-year starter at setter in late 1980s became Westlake’s first Texas Girls Coaches Association all-state volleyball player..
Ron Schroeder: Head football coach from 1987 until 2002 compiled a record of 187-23-3 while building the Chaps into perennial state powerhouse and leading team to lone state title.
Cathy Self: Hall-of-fame girls basketball coach built Westlake program in 1980s and won three state titles in 1990s.
Sara Shaw: Prep volleyball all-American in 2000s set virtually every school record before four-year career at USC.
Brad Shields: Former school board member in 1990s championed athletics and also served as longtime PA announcer at Chaparral Stadium.
Brad Shearer: Offensive lineman for Westlake in the 1970s and Outland Trophy at Texas was school’s first superstar football player.
Sierra Sims: Most accomplished girls golfer in school history won back-to-back individual titles in 2011-12.
Sharad Sood: All-state striker for soccer team in 2001 and future SMU player namesake for program’s annual alumni game and memorial scholarship.
Scott Spann: Swimmer won three gold medals in mid 2000s and helped Chap boys win lone state title in 2006.
Vicki Stafko: Pioneering girls athletics trainer served as trusted counsel for multiple coaches during three-decade tenure from mid 19080s to mid 2010s.
Huston Street: All-state prep athlete in two sports – football and baseball – in 2000-01 school year helped Texas win NCAA title before long Major League Baseball career.
Samantha Tucker: Most decorated girls swimmer in school history earned 11 state gold medals in late 2000s and helped Westlake girls win two of their six state titles.
Jeff Ward: Standout soccer player and football player in early 1980s later kicked at Texas before lengthy and influential career on Austin talk radio.
Justin Wood: Westlake’s first wrestling state champion won back-to-back titles in early 2000s while putting school on wrestling map.
Quite the star studded cast Westlake has had over the last 50 years. Impressive for sure. But, please tell me how the FUCK the Statesman does not put Tucker on this list?
I mean, this kick alone should have gotten him on it:
Even if the Statesman were to think his college career wasn’t strong enough to make him a top 50 Westlake High School athlete, the fact he’ll go down as the best kicker to have ever kicked in the history of the NFL should definitely have done the trick.
The dude is a Super Bowl champion for pete’s sake!
The fucking YouTube video of all his game winners is over THREE minutes long!
Which doesn’t even include the game winner he has this year and the 30 more he’ll probably have by the time he retires in 25 years.
Also, lets not forget he has the voice of an angel to go on top of all of that!
Are musicians no longer considered athletes?!
Bottom line, this wasn’t a mistake by the Statesman. They’ve probably wrote more articles about Tucker than any human who has ever attended Westlake. They didn’t just now forget he existed.
I don’t know what Tucker did to piss off the Statesman but something is clearly amiss. It stinks from the high heavens of a scandal. A personal attack on an Austin legend. A Longhorn legend. A Chaparral legend!
I wont rest until I get the answers but right now I need to turn my focus on the Astros winning the World Series. Once that is done, I’ll circle back for the Statesman.
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