Hall of Famer Returns to Schulenburg

48-Year Coaching Vet Tidwell Hired to Lead Lady Horns Hoops

Larry Tidwell will return to Schulenburg to coach high school girls basketball. A legend in women’s hoops and a Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee in 2021, Tidwell has compiled an overall record of 548-245 as a head coach at both the high school and collegiate level.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Tidwell said in an interview with the Record this week. “I have great friends in Schulenburg. I’m very impressed with the administration, from the superintendent to the high school principal and the new athletic director and head football coach. There’s just a lot of energy.”

Tidwell coached in Schulenburg from 1984 to 1992 – often considered a golden age by supporters of the Shorthorns and Lady Horns.

“I’ve coached for 48 years, and those eight years were the best eight years of my coaching career,” he said.

Tidwell was instrumental in building Schulenburg’s powerful athletic program during that time, for both girls and boys. Whether it was organizing the Little Dribblers youth basketball league, hosting track tournaments, flipping hamburgers for the Booster Club, or establishing the “Superman S” as the school logo – Tidwell has definitely left his mark on the town.

After beginning his career in high school athletics, Tidwell embarked on a collegiate coaching journey that brought him to Baylor, TCU, Lamar, University of Texas-Rio Grande, Texas Tech, University of Kansas, University of Louisiana-Monroe, Dallas Christian and Tulsa State in various roles as recruiter, assistant coach and head coach.

“With the transfer portal and NIL (name, image and likeness) stuff at the college level, it’s not the same game that it used to be,” he said. “Back in my day at Baylor and TCU, we didn’t have top programs, but we could outwork people. Now it’s about who has the most money. It’s not what I believe in. I’m an old school guy.”

A native of Sanger, Tidwell coached 12 years at the high school level in Frisco, Lexington, Schulenburg and Mexia, compiling a record of 296-83 as a high school head coach.

Officially, Schulenburg I.S.D. hired Tidwell as head coach for girls basketball and cross-country. He’ll also teach P.E. But if this run is anything like his last one in Schulenburg, he’ll do a lot more than that.

“We’re going to take kids to see games at A&M and UT,” he said. “I want to get a summer track program going. I’m moving to Schulenburg on Sunday and my first day at school is Monday. I wanted to get started early so I can get some basketball camps going this summer.

“We’re going to outwork you,” he added. “We’re going to do a lot of community service. We’re going to be a part of the town.”

Tidwell said he was impressed with the $19.6 million bond that Schulenburg I.S.D. passed last year to upgrade facilities, including a new performing arts center, track and football stadium upgrades.

“That tells you the administration, the school board and the town are excited about having great academics and athletics,” he said.

“The thing I love about Schulenburg is the people,” Tidwell added. “Not only would they support their kids, they’d support other people’s kids, too. Those are hard to find.”

Now 70, Tidwell said he wants to coach for five more years.

“I don’t think I’ll be coaching any of my old players’ kids, but I might be coaching some of their grandkids,” he joked.

One of Tidwell’s proudest accomplishments is his impressive coaching tree: 242 former players, managers, student assistants and graduate assistants have gone on to become teachers and coaches themselves. In addition, 64 of his former players have played at the professional level, with seven of them in the WNBA.