Copeland officially drops interim from athletic director title

Mike Copeland fetaure — Mike Copeland, center, shown celebrating a track victory last season, is officially the new athletic director at Stephenville ISD || File photo by Dr. Chet Martin

By BRAD KEITH

TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (April 18, 2016) — Mike Copeland is once again the director of athletics at Stephenville ISD.

Copeland received a unanimous vote of approval from SISD trustees during their regular monthly meeting Monday at Bond Auditorium. He has been interim athletic director since February was athletic director and head football coach at Stephenville from 2000-02.

Copeland, who attended the meeting Monday, is currently enjoying his second stint as girls track and field coach at Stephenville, a position he has said he would like to continue while serving as athletic director.

Copeland coached football 40 seasons at SHS, serving as defensive coordinator for four state championship teams in the 1990s and as cornerbacks coach for a fifth state title team in 2012.

But even if he never coached football, Copeland would still be a legend in Stephenville.

He has guided SHS to 14 total district championships and coached seven state champions in track and field, and won nine straight district titles while serving as head coach of girls basketball. He has also been head coach of boys and girls golf, boys and girls tennis and boys and girls cross country.

Copeland has served as both president and regional director of the Texas High School Coaches Association and is a member of the THSCA Hall of Honor.

Underwood issued the following statement immediately following the meeting:

“The Stephenville ISD is pleased to announce that Mike Copeland will assume the responsibilities of Athletic Director. A contract was extended tonight to an individual that exudes the Core Values identified by the District last Spring. Coach Copeland’s experience, successes and tenure with the District are definitely notable, but his heart for kids is what truly sets him apart as a candidate.”

Copeland replaces Alan Haire, the first athletic director at Stephenville who was not also head football coach. Haire resigned in February to become head football coach and athletic director in Salado, his hometown.

At least six candidates were interviewed for the position, including three from within SISD, one currently at Tarleton, one from Fort worth Castleberry and one from Madisonville, according to sources.