UIL Honors All-Time Winningest Coach
By Sheila Henderson, Assistant Athletic Director | Monday, March 21, 2011 3:36 PM
After she is honored at the Girls' State Basketball Tournament, Leta Andrews (with her husband in the background) stands with Assistant Athletic Director Sheila Henderson and Interim Athletic Director Mark Cousins.
Photo by Darryl Beasley, Assistant Athletic Director
The first day of the 2011 Girls’ State Basketball tournament was a special day for the UIL staff and for myself. On that day, we had the privilege to honor basketball legend and the Granbury High School head girls’ basketball coach, Leta Andrews.
Andrews is the all-time winningest high school basketball coach with a record 1,346 wins.
Andrew’s broke the record on Dec. 7, 2010 with her 1,334th win when her Lady Pirates defeated visiting Midlothian Lady Panthers 64-45. That win allowed Coach Andrews to surpass the former record holder and retired legendary Forth Worth Dunbar boys’ basketball coach, Robert Hughes.
In her 49 years of service as a coach, Andrews has taken her teams to 16 state tournament appearances. She won a 4A state title while at Calallen High School.
Her team 2011 team made it to the bi-district playoffs.
On Wednesday March 2, the Texas House of Representatives led by state representative Jim Keffer and the Texas Senate led by state senator Brian Birdwell offered tributes and resolutions in Andrews’ honor.
Andrews is also a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Andrews’ honors extend off the court as well. She was selected the Most Outstanding American Teacher-Coach of the Year by the Walt Disney Company.
After the presentation at the State Basketball Tournament, I had an opportunity to talk with Coach Andrews about what was most memorable to her about breaking this record.
“I think about how blessed I am to have a family that loves and supports what I do, and they understand that serving others is what I’m on the face of this earth to do,” she said humbly. “I am also grateful for the opportunity to have coached my three daughters.”
That answer makes me wonder: How many people can say that about what they do?
It was a great honor for me to have the privilege of recognizing someone so dedicated to the education profession.