TIMPSON, Texas — Timpson High School head football coach retires after winning state championship title.
After 38 years of coaching and 21 years serving as head coach, Kerry Therwhanger has hung up his whistle to spend quality time with his family.
Coach Therwhanger joined Timpson Athletics in 2016 and has led their football team to their first-ever state championship victory this season.
"I think it's just time, it's a good time for our family," Coach Therwhanger said. "It's just the icing on the cake to be able to finish off with a state championship."
The Bears have multiple semi-final finishes at state but hadn't been able to pull off the big win until they faced Tolar this season. They finished with a 49-7 win to claim the victory.
"Just total relief because we had been so close {in the past}," Coach Therwhanger said. "So just the fact that we were able to do it in such a dominating fashion and not have to stress there in the fourth quarter we got to enjoy and take it all in, and it was fantastic."
Not only is Coach Therwhanger the head football coach, but he also runs the entire athletic department as athletics director. Running an athletic department on top of a highly ranked 2A football team is time-consuming which doesn't give him time with his grandkids.
"By the time I get home from workouts and stuff they’re either already gone or already out the door," Coach Therwhanger said. "So, I haven’t gotten to spend a whole lot of time with them so that’s the main thing."
Therwhanger plans on diving into his hobbies with his wife, who is also retired.
"Working on my golf game and getting to spend a little more time with my family," Coach Therwhanger said. "My son had two twin girls, they're two years old."
Coach Therwhanger's son, Taylor Therwhanger, has been the offensive coordinator for the team for six years. He's learned a lot from his father over the years with his positive coaching approach.
"The biggest thing I’ve learned from him, and the best I’ve seen is just working with the kids and getting that respect from them and having them play hard for him," Taylor Therwhanger said. "I’ve never seen any coach get that effort from kids."
Now that the 38 years of coaching have come to an end, he reflects on advice he would've told his younger self.
"Be patient, be a lot more patient. It's all going to work out," Coach Therwhanger said.