Grapevine High School

Congratulations to GHS Head Football Coach Mike Alexander, who is the 2022 recipient of The Landry Award Coach of the Year distinction. Presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and media stations CBS and TXA21, the distinction honors a Coach of the Year from North Texas who exemplifies the Christian values that defined Cowboys Coach Tom Landry on and off the field.

“I wasn’t anticipating that [honor],” said Coach Alexander when he learned that he was the honoree named from five finalists. “It’s really good validation that people see what we are doing with our families – that we are trying to do things right.”

Coach Alexander, who is completing his eighth season with GHS football, and who led this year’s team to an 11-2 season, a district championship and two playoff wins, didn’t hesitate to answer when asked about why he coaches.

“I believe that every player needs to know they’re special, they’re loved and they have a place in this world, and I think that football is the greatest of all the sports because it takes so many shapes and sizes. It doesn’t matter if they are a back-up senior or if they are a starter that has college aspirations – there is a place for them on our football team and they have value.”

Coach Alexander said he is humbled to receive an award named for Landry, whom he described as ‘larger than life’ and someone whom he grew up watching as a kid.

“Tom Landry used to say that a coach's job is to take a player somewhere he doesn’t know how to get to. The student wants to get there, but he doesn’t know how. That is a huge part of what we do as coaches, but at the same time those who aren’t superstars, we need to make them feel that they have a place.”

This is the second consecutive year that a GCISD coach has been selected. In 2021, CHHS Head Football Coach Kirk Martin was also recognized with the honor.

Watch this year’s broadcast of The Landry Award Ceremony, which was televised on Monday, December 12.