Lady Horns Shine With Legends Watching

After a pre-game peptalk from two hall-of-fame coaches, the Schulenburg girls basketball team went out and grabbed a 44-20 victory over Ganado for their own hall-offame coach Larry Tidwell that clinched a playoff berth.

Tidwell, in his 49th year of coaching and an inductee into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame, invited his friends Jody Conradt and Jan Lahodny to Friday’s big game to be honored for their accomplishments.

But before the ceremony he asked the two legends to talk to his team. It worked as Alana Herzik scored 11 and Jenna Guentert scored eight to lead the Lady Horns to the win that improved them to 1611 overall and 5-5 in district, which clinches them the final playoff spot in District 28-2A.

Before the game Tidwell introduced the two coaches to the crowd saying, in part: “Both of these coaches have made a difference in the lives of kids all over the country and all over the world because both of these coaches were fighting for the rights of girls in sports and they fought and fought ...

“Both of these coaching veterans were difference makers in the game. What we do in this lifetime will echo in eternity and Coach Conradt and Coach Lahodny’s echo is loud and clear, and will be for centuries to come. We want to thank them for their genuine impact on the game.”

Members of the Lady Horns gave Conradt and Lahodny special plaques with their accomplishments on them, and also wrote letters to the two coaching greats. Before the game the Record caught up with each coach.

“I’m still affiliated with the University of Texas,” said Conradt, who is a spry 83 years old now. “My job is sort of undefined. My job is special assistant to the athletic director. The best part is I get to stay around talented, committed young people. But it’s definitely not coaching.”

Conradt led the 1986 University of Texas Lady Longhorns to the NCAAD-1 national championship with a perfect 34-0 record. She also led Texas to many Southwest Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances while posting 900 wins.

Lahodny is credited with 700+ wins as a head coach, 10 State UIL tournament appearances, three state UIL Championships, is a TABC Hall of Fame inductee, 1995 National High School Coach of the Year and most recently had the Victoria High School basketball court named in her honor.

“I’m in Flatonia and in Victoria. I live in both places. My new year’s resolution is to get rid of my nine storage units,” Lahodny said.

And the state of girls basketball these days?

“There are a lot more talented players now,” Conradt said.

“All they want to do it shoot the three,” Lahodny said. “But I’m glad the game has grown in a very positive way.”