KLEIN FOREST MAY LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ON THE GRIDIRON THIS FALL, WITH A CULTURE CHANGE COURTESY OF NEWCOMER DARRICK VAUGHN.
In addition to taking over as the head football coach, Vaughn will be the high school’s athletic director. With 19 years of experience in education, the Golden Eagles’ newest head man has a clear understanding of what he hopes to accomplish.
“My coaches were a big influence on my life growing up, so I just want to give back,” said Vaughn. “I believe in being a servant leader. I’m here to serve these young men and women, to help them become great members of society."
“This is my second stop in Klein ISD, and I believe in our shared vision – promise to purpose,” Vaughn said. “I understand our role is to help these kids excel in the classroom and in athletics.”
Vaughn’s experience in football, in particular, speaks for itself.
He’s already won a state championship with Dekaney (5A-DII) in 2011, not to mention he played defensive back in the NFL (Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans) between 2000 and 2003, which feeds into his coaching tactics.
“I’m more of a defensive-style coach,” he said. “Last year, they had a lot of success on the defensive side of the ball. So, having Coach (Kyle) Kelley and his staff back will be huge. It gives me the opportunity to assist with the offense and give them a viewpoint from a defensive perspective.”
Not long after being introduced to the Klein Forest roster, Vaughn has already begun to recognize the potential he sees in the team.
“When I first came here, on the first day of Speed and Conditioning Camp and SSI (Sport- Specific Instruction), I was thoroughly impressed,” he said. “There’s a lot of talent here. We, as coaches, have to put it all together. Last year we finished 5-5, so our sole goal is to turn that into a playoff team.”
Despite all the talent at his disposal, particularly that of his seniors, Vaughn emphasized that he’ll employ the skill of everyone on the roster to build upon last season’s successes.
“It’s going to take the efforts of everybody to succeed,” said Vaughn. “We believe in the core values – having a common purpose, shared honor and mutual dependency. So, everyone is going to be called upon to get the job done.”
It’s been over a decade since the Golden Eagles reached the postseason. Could this be the year they flip the script?