VIDOR, Texas — Since 1999, the Vidor Pirates had Jeff Mathews as their captain but next season that won’t be the case.
“It was a tough decision to do but it was something the family felt like was best for us , but it’s an extremely hard decision,” Mathews said.
“To say that I’ve enjoyed every day of my job, I’ve been fortunate," Mathews said. "Now, many guys don't get to do that. I’ve enjoyed working every day and I can’t begin to explain how much I’m gonna miss it.”
After accepting a position with BSN Sports, Mathews is leaving coaching behind even though it’s all he’s known as an adult.
“I’m terrified," Mathews said. 'I was thinking the other day, I started playing football when I was five, I played until I was 22, I coached. I’m at 55 years."
"Nobody’s ever called me Jeff," said Mathews. "It’s been coach. I don’t know how to answer to Jeff. I don’t know if I would if somebody said Jeff, but at 55 trying something new it’s a little terrifying for me but we’re gonna try and see what happens.”
However, Mathews isn’t leaving the program completely. He has some unfinished business with next year’s seniors.
“The job I’m going to take is going to allow me to be back here on Fridays and I’ll be with them every Friday," Mathews said. "There may be a day or two where I can go to practices in the mornings. I’m not gonna abandon them. I’m gonna be there with them.”
“The thing we’ve always wanted to do, the promise I made the school board when I got the job, I never promised district championships, I never promised 6,000 wins, I promise that we would try to make a positive impact on every kid that we coached, and I’ve been blessed to work for a school district that’s allowed me to do that,” Mathews said.
"My best memories aren’t of a game that we won, or district championship, it’s been of, again, watching some of the kids grow up and be fathers and be husbands and be productive members of society," Mathews said 'That’s more exciting to me than any win we’ve ever had.”
Mathews might’ve been the main League Villan but he only wanted to do good.