Jul 30, 2010
Van Meter deserving of Touchdown Club recognition
December 11, 2009
HOUSTON — For the past two years - the Friendswood Mustangs have made deep runs in the playoffs. In 2008 - the 'Stangs captured a first-ever 4A Region III Division I championship and a trip to the 4A state semifinals under the guidance of head coach Steve Van Meter.
In 2009 - after losing three-year starting quarterback Jacob Karam to Texas Tech, plus a stable of talented receivers -- the veteran coach still re-loaded to see the Mustangs return to the Region III Division I finals in their quest to repeat as region champions only to fall short to district rival Dawson.
Friendswood has had two straight impressive seasons and will no doubt make another deep run next year with the returning starters that fill the roster in 2010. The past two seasons - Friendswood was11-2 in 2008 and 10-4 in 2009 for a sparkling 21-6 mark.
As was the case last year - Van Meter was named as a "Coach of the Year" finalist by the Touchdown Club of Houston. He was honored again on Wednesday, December 9 at the JW Marriott Hotel making it the seventh time that Van Meter has been a finalist for that award without winning it. He is now even with Pearland head coach Tony Heath -- who also has seven plaques hanging on his wall as a finalist without ever having won the award. Perhaps the TD Club will get it right for the both of them.
One of the impressive things that was pointed out at the awards dinner when Van Meter was introduced with the other nine coaching finalists -- was that he was a native of Friendswood and has spent his entire coaching career with the Mustangs -- a trait that is very rare in today's climb-up-the-coaching ladder for more money and prestige.
After 18 seasons as the head coach, Van Meter has had the privilege of coaching thousands of young men who will always look back and remember him and several other Friendswood coaches who also have many years of service with the Mustangs as the men who made the greatest impact in their lives.
It is remarkable when coaches stay and invest their lives in impressionable young men and women and then watch as they are successful at the collegiate level and beyond in life.
Van Meter may not have won the TD Club coaching award, but he has won the hearts of thousands of young men and women who have come under his guidance - not only as athletes - but as young adults seeking to make a difference at the next stages of life. They are also the ones who return home and look him up to say hello.
Cinco Ranch head coach Don Clayton was named as the 2009 recepient of the "Coach of the Year" award and was deserving of the honor as his Cougars take on Abilene in the 5A Division I state semifinals.
Other coaching finalists included: Dean Colbert (Atascocita), Clint Hartman (Clear Springs), David Jones (Cy-Woods), Stan Labay (Klein), Mark Schmid (The Woodlands), John Snelson (Pasadena Memorial), Drew Svoboda (Klein Collins), and Eric Wells (Pearland Dawson).
The "Defensive Player of the Year" selected was Santa Fe linebacker Shane Sobnosky and the "Offensive Player of the Year" was North Shore offensive tackleTrey Hopkins.