Iconic Permian, ‘Friday Night Lights’ coach Gary Gaines dies at 73
Longtime Texas highschool soccer coach Gary Gaines, who led Odessa Permian and was featured within the “Friday Night time Lights” e-book and film, died on Monday, his household confirmed.
He was 73.
Gaines died in Lubbock, Texas, after a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s illness, .
Gaines spent three a long time teaching all through Texas, although most notably at Odessa Permian from 1986-1989. Gaines went 47-6-1 throughout that stretch and led the workforce to an ideal season that ended with a state title in 1989.
The 1988 season was the topic of Buzz Bissinger’s 1990 greatest promoting e-book, “Friday Night time Lights,” which was finally made right into a film in 2004 after which a tv present on NBC. The 1988 workforce, which James “Boobie” Miles missed after injuring his knee, fell within the state semifinals.
Gaines was portrayed by Billy Bob Thornton within the 2004 film.
Gaines additionally frolicked teaching as an assistant at Texas Tech and the top coach at Abilene Christian. He led Abilene Excessive College and San Angelo Central, labored because the athletic director in Odessa and in Lubbock, after which returned to guide Permian one final time in 2009.
“He taught me what I wanted to achieve success as a coach, learn how to coach youngsters and learn how to speak to youngsters to show them to consider in themselves,” former Odessa coach Ron King . “I’ve had two males that had been father figures to me and CoachGaines was considered one of them … I simply can’t discover the phrases to pay respects. It’s a giant loss for the teaching career. There are numerous coaches he took beneath his wing and mentored.”
“He had numerous younger coaches; he was a distinction maker, like if you end up teaching youngsters, you are attempting to make a distinction. I feel Coach Gaines did that.”
