New coach brings multi-sport experience to program

GONZALES —The Gonzales Apaches have prided themselves on their willingness to become multi-sport athletes. Athletic director Kodi Crane believes wholeheartedly in that philosophy and was in need of new coaches coming in to believe in it as well.

In comes new wide receivers coach Kyle Alexander whose coaching philosophies fit exactly what Crane is looking for in his program.

“[Alexander] applied for the job whenever it was open and his résumé popped right away,” Crane said. “You can tell he’s an extremely hard worker, self motivated and will be a good fit for our program.”

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Alexander immediately began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant offensive line coach while working on his degree. After graduating, he spent seven years at Bryan St. Joseph Catholic School.

“When I went off to college, [coaching] wasn’t my original path,” Alexander admitted, “but about a year or so into my college career I made that decision that coaching is where my heart was and what I wanted to do so I switched over to sports management and got that coaching minor. I actually started my coaching career as a volunteer assistant when I was still in school in A&M finishing up my degree so it kind of took off from there.”

“Took off” is putting it a bit lightly. In the seven years spent at St. Joseph, Alexander went from his volunteer position to eventually becoming the offensive coordinator and then finally the athletic director/head coach of the football team.

“It was a quick jump, a quick ride, but it was a lot of fun and it was a good start to my career,” Alexander said. “My wife and I are ready for a new adventure and bigger and better things, so that’s what brought me here.”

One key factor to Alexander coming to Gonzales is Crane’s philosophy of multi-sport athletes. The head coach has talked in the past about the importance of kids not being stuck with just one sport. Coming from a small school, Alexander has a similar approach.

“The attitude of kids being one-sport stars is not a good approach to sports,” he explained. “Kids are going to get burnt out, they need a break, they need to transition. Each sport can build on each other.

“You know you do something a little different [in each sport] but in the end you’re still learning skills that will benefit all the other sports as well. I’m coming from a smaller school where we preached maximum participation in every sport because that’s what we had to do to survive because our school had small class sizes so we needed those kids to participate in every single event in order for us to even have a sports program. I’m a big believer in that.”

Before voyaging to college, Alexander was also a multi-sport athlete, participating in football, baseball and golf in high school. He also played a little bit of basketball during his junior high years.

Crane saw these qualities and knew that Alexander would be a good fit for the Apaches.

“At a school our size it’s imperative that kids play multiple sports,” Crane said. “We want coaches that understand that, that believe in that and so that had a bit to do with [hiring Alexander]. His work ethic, his personality, he’ll fit in good here and will be a good addition for us.”

Being in a close-knit community was also a big appeal for the new coach.

“I’m originally from Victoria so I’m kind of familiar with the area,” Alexander explained. “[My wife and I] were wanting to get closer.”

Alexander mentioned that he had family in San Antonio, so being closer to that area as well as leaving the “hustle and bustle of the big-college town” of Bryan was a huge reason why he came down here to Gonzales.

“It’s a new adventure for us. I’m a small-community guy, the school I’m coming from is a small, close-knit community so I like that nice family atmosphere. Everyone that we’ve met in the town has been awesome, very kind. We’ve been welcomed everywhere we’ve been. That’s what we wanted, that’s what we’re looking for and that’s what we’re looking forward to the most is just getting involved with the community and becoming a part of the community.”

Alexander will also coach the freshman basketball team as well as junior varsity baseball. He brings with him to Gonzales his wife, Caitrin Alexander, who is a nurse and hoping to stay in the nursing field around the area.