A few Montgomery High athletic programs are undergoing change at the top this summer.
On Wednesday evening, three of those programs formally ushered in new eras following the retirement of iconic local coaches. Boys and girls golf coach Matt Hamilton succeeds Kirk Thomason, swimming and diving coach Kelly Maxwell is in for Dale Villemez, and boys basketball coach Jake McDonald takes over for Don Johnson.
Thomason was at Montgomery the last 16 years and led the Bears to seven consecutive state tournament appearances. Villemez was at the helm of Montgomery swimming and diving since 2011 and guided the girls to the 2019 state championship. Johnson was at Montgomery for 28 years and led the Bears to more than 400 wins.
Hamilton one of Montgomery’s own
Before Montgomery’s “Meet the Coaches” event Wednesday, Matt Hamilton drove toward the backside of the school to the student parking lot by the main gym for the first time since he walked the school’s halls in 2011.
“I was like, ‘Whoa. This is very weird,’” Hamilton said. “A lot of nostalgia, for sure. I played basketball, too, so standing in the gym, knowing all the hours I put in … it’s definitely a lot of nostalgia and wanting to honor what’s been set here.”
Hamilton is the sixth head coach at Montgomery that is an alum. He spent three years leading the golf program at Bryan High before spending last year as an assistant to Sam Hochhauser, his former Bears teammate and fellow classmate, at Lake Creek.
Hamilton helped the Lake Creek boys team to a Class 5A state championship and the girls team to a third-place finish at state this spring.
Hamilton watched and learned how Hochhauser communicated with parents and the organizational skills and leadership it took to run a successful program.
“It takes a special group of kids, and kids that want to work hard,” Hamilton said. “I know we have those kids, and parents, here in Montgomery ISD. There’s no substitute in golf for the amount of hours you’re going to put in, so it’s all about how hard you’re willing to work, whether you started playing at a young age or just picked up the game as a freshman.”
Hamilton takes over a dominant program that holds 24 team and eight individual state medals, while also claiming the record for most consecutive state tournament appearances in UIL history with 27.
Thomason and Rusty Herridge were at the forefront of the Bears’ vaunted success on the course.
“I want to continue what Coach Thomason and Coach Herridge did,” Hamilton said. “I’ve already met with them, and I want to keep them involved in the program.”
At Bryan, Hamilton grew the program from seven golfers when he took over in 2019 to 20 and establishing a junior high program by the time he left in 2022.
Now he’s ready to sustain the standard of success on his former stomping grounds while adding a jolt of a new voice.
“This is special,” Hamilton said. “I just want to honor the tradition that’s already here and bring some energy and youth to it. I’m going to be here for the long haul.”
Maxwell a familiar face for Bears
Kelly Maxwell can’t stay away from Montgomery.
“It’s absolutely some of the most exceptional children and parents I have ever worked with,” said the longtime teacher and coach.
When Maxwell was teaching at Montgomery High from 2005-2008, she had a boy in her communications class who proudly boasted about his new truck. But fuel was expensive, he said, so he said he would only drive the vehicle on weekends and take the bus during the week.
It’s one of Maxwell’s favorite stories to tell.
“A high school boy just being so cost effective,” said Maxwell, who has taught 22 years. “You drive out to one part of Montgomery and it’s a gated, exclusive, private community. You drive out to another part and there’s such diversity. I’ve had children in each other’s weddings. I’ve been invited to Eagle Scout inductions. We held the banquet at my house. I’m in touch with kids I taught that are now moms. I’m still in touch with their parents. Montgomery is just some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet. Really good, wholesome children and parents.”
Maxwell is on her third head coaching job. She also led the swimming and diving programs at Cypress Springs High and Conroe High, but she hasn’t been a head coach since 2002.
“I saw an opportunity,” Maxwell said. “If anyone knows anything about swim coaches, they usually go out retiring. Jobs are very coveted. So I applied, got an interview and had a really good interview. The best I’ve ever had.”
Maxwell is a graduate of Oak Ridge High. She split her four years of high school at Conroe and Oak Ridge.
She swam varsity all four years and made multiple state appearances in individual events and relays. She made extra money as a lifeguard at community pools.
When she stepped away from competitive swimming, Maxwell never strayed from activity. She was a competitive bodybuilder, the overall female powerlifter at Sam Houston State. She earned a degree in kinesiology.
Maxwell has a black belt in Taekwondo and taught body combat at Gold’s Gym for six years.
“I love fitness, and I want to instill a love of fitness in my students,” Maxwell said. “I want them to be lifelong lovers of their health. It doesn’t have to be in a swimming pool, but there’s no wear and tear on your joints (in swimming). It’s just a really good sport. And swimmers are, just, cool. When they’re swimming 20 lengths in that pool, that’s them. There are no cheerleaders there. They’re in their head and so mentally tough.”
As her athletes would say, Maxwell is a vibe. Spirited and energetic. Full of life.
Passion oozes from every word, every smile, every look.
Maxwell is an educator at heart. A veteran debate coach and communications applications teacher, she has taught every grade from third through 12th. But she is thrilled to be around a pool again.
“The first thing is I hope they have fun,” Maxwell said. “These kids get up at dark-thirty in the morning, and if it’s not fun for them, that can be a big bear. I hope the bigger kids can pass down to the littles that there’s a great coach in the area who loves swimming and who wants you to become part of it to grow this program. I really think if I can keep it fun and keep those kids safe, people will sign up for it. I really do.”
McDonald ready for more with Bears
After considerable success at Orangefield High in east Texas, Jake McDonald wanted more.
He led Orangefield to five playoff appearances in six seasons, advancing to the regional quarterfinals twice. Under McDonald’s watch, the Bobcats posted their three winningest seasons. He took Orangefield further than it had ever been in the postseason.
McDonald, a Beaumont native, was ready for the next step in his career.
“No. 1, professionally, I wanted to get to the (Class) 5A/6A level,” McDonald said. “I looked around, had some feelers out there with other coaches, and everything I heard about Montgomery was all positive. I had the opportunity to watch some games on YouTube and got a pretty good idea and pretty good feel for what they had coming back.
“Once I interviewed, I shut the process down because I felt so good about the principal, administration, (campus athletic coordinator) Coach (Grant) Cooper, (Montgomery ISD athletic director) Coach (Clint) Heard. I got to meet three or four of the kids, took a tour of the facility. My wife was cool with it. Everything just felt right.”
During McDonald’s six years, Orangefield fluctuated between Class 3A and Class 4A (three years in each division). Montgomery is 5A.
“I would say it’s a numbers game,” McDonald said. “Every (5A/6A) team I’ve watched on film is well-coached. The athleticism will be higher than what I’ve seen. I’ve got to have our guys prepared and make sure they have an understanding of what we’re trying to do.”
McDonald is entering his ninth season overall as a head coach.
“As far as what we do, that’s a personnel thing,” he said of style of play. “What we do depends on our personnel and the upcoming opponent. One thing we did well at Orangefield is we had the ability to control tempo. When we wanted to play fast, we could push the envelope. When we needed to be more deliberate, we could. So, I’d say we’ll be versatile, multiple. With that, our kids have to have the I.Q. to understand what an opponent looks like and what it will take to be successful on that particular night.”
McDonald has gotten to know his players and their parents well already. He is encouraged by the participation in summer leagues, spring leagues and tournament shootouts.
“Great kids, great parents,” McDonald said. “Parents are involved, very willing to help out. As far as the kids go, they’re hard-nosed, blue collar, and truly want to succeed. That will translate when you have a bunch of guys pulling in the same direction.”
