KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
JULY 22, 2019
By Anne Bowman Lee
Katy’s own Gary Joseph and Bubba Fife were honored at Saturday evening’s Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Hall of Honor induction ceremony.
Katy High School's Coach Gary Joseph
Tigers Coach Inducted
Joseph, the well-known head coach for Katy High School’s football team was inducted into the THSCA’s Hall of Honor at an event held at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Houston. Joseph took his rightful place among some of the state's most recognizable figures in the coaching profession.
"Coach Joseph was one of 15 people statewide to win this outstanding award. It's great to see Coach Joseph receive this distinction for all that he does for the students at Katy High School," said Executive Director of Athletics Debbie Decker. “This is a true reflection of his commitment and devotion to create future Katy ISD legacies."
A Tradition of Excellence
Joseph has been with Katy ISD for 36 years and head coach of Katy High School’s football program since 2004. With four state championships, 15 playoff appearances, 14 district titles, and 201 wins, Joseph is working on year 16 with just as much expectation as any.
Win No. 200 for Joseph came last fall in a Tigers playoff win over Travis. His 201 wins as a head coach rank 14th among active coaches in Texas. He is the fastest to reach 200 wins in state history.
Joseph’s influence and devotion is not limited to athletes only. His guidance has been embraced by thousands of students who attend Katy High School. In 2018, he was awarded the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Sponsor Excellence Award.
"There's no better platform than high school football for kids," says Joseph "It's not just football for kids. This is a thing where you can sit there and build relationships with each other, relationships that are going to last past the years they're in high school."
Shaping the Person and the Player
Coach Joseph has made it a priority to know each and every football player on his team and teaches that excellence must begin in the classroom before it can succeed in the field. He motivates all his students to be more than ordinary and to thrive first to be the best with oneself before trying to defeat someone in any challenge.
"Coaching is my life,” says Joseph. “I don't see myself doing anything else. As long as I can come to work every day and enjoy coming to work every day, it's not just a job, but it's a way of life, then I'm going to do it."
"He was born to be a coach," says Sheila Joseph, his wife of 35 years. "There is nothing else he should be doing. He is wonderful at it.
Mustang's Coach Inducted
Former Katy ISD assistant athletic director and Taylor High School football head coach Bubba Fife was also honored at the THSCA’s Hall of Honor event. He is the namesake for the prestigious Katy ISD track meet, the Bubba Fife Relays.
Fife began his coaching career in Irving ISD in 1964. For five years, he was a football assistant and head track coach at Irving MacArthur. He would move to other schools and contribute to their programs before moving to Katy ISD.
Fife spent 12 seasons as the head coach at Taylor High School, from 1987-1998. He finished his coaching career with the Mustangs with 48-66-6. Fife then moved into the district's administrative department where we worked for another decade.
Fife retired in 2009 and was inducted that year into the Texas High School Athletic Directors Hall of Honor.
Last fall, Fife was also inducted into the Katy ISD Athletic Hall of Honor.