Herreee's Jerry!  Larned Complex dedicated in Sunday Festivities
Staff Reports ~~ Monahans News ~~ September 18, 2003

The Multi-Purpose Complex and Racquetball Facility in Monahans is now only a memory and a single line listing in the Monahans telephone directory.

That outstanding facility to the north of Monahans High School widely used by local residents now bears the name the Jerry Larned Sports Complex.  About 250 Monahans residents turned out at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon to see the facility dedicated in honor of the popular former coach and school superintendent.

Larned himself was all smiles as the townspeople lavished praise and respect on the man many know as "Mr. Lobo."

Larry  "Bear" Bryant, president of the Monahans-Wickett-Pyote Independent School District Board of Trustees, introduced Ronnie Flowers, who talked about his 32-year friendship with Larned.  The two men are business partners.  

Flowers spoke of Larned's leadership abilities, work ethic, and people skills, saying he was "one of the few people I have met who could be successful in the school system and make the move to the business world and succeed there.

Longtime school district employee Nancy Upchurch talked about Larned's ability as a morale booster.  She noted when things were bad he would come in and cheer her up with a joke.

She said he would always stick his head in her office door everyday to say hello.

Larned served as superintendent of the Monahans-Wickett-Pyote Independent school Distinct on three different occasions, most recently earlier this year as a search was conducted for a  new superintendent to replace Cliff Stephens who resigned at the end of April.

Yet Larned was known even before taking over as superintendent in Monahans for his exploits on the gridiron.  He was West Texas Coach off the Year in 1967 , 1973, 1974, and 1976.  He was voted into the Texas Panhandle football Hall of Fame in 1982, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 1992.

Coaching was not his only contribution to the Monahans schools.  He was quite adept as an education professional, being named superintendent of the year in region 18 for 1992-1993 and 1993-1994.

Active in civic endeavors in Monahans, Larned served as president of the Monahans Rotary Club, president of the Monahans Chamber of Commerce, was named the Outstanding Citizen of the Year and served as chairman of the Ward County Appraisal District.

He retired form the Monahans schools in 1994, and since his retirement, Larned stays busy on the public speaking circuit.

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Complex renamed in honor of Larned
by Bill Modisett, Monahans News  - July 17, 2003

The name of the Multi-Purpose Complex will be changed to the "Jerry Larned Sports Complex" in honor of the man who has served as superintendent of the Monahans-Wickett-Pyote Independent School District on three different occasions.

That was the decision of the Monahans School Board Tuesday evening following a presentation by Nancy Upchurch of Larned's accomplishments.  Most recently, Larned has served as interim superintendent of the school district while the Texas Association of School Boards sought a new superintendent.

The Haskell native who was educated at North Texas State University and Sul Ross State University, served as a football coach at both the high school and university levels for 18 years and as superintendent in Monahans until his retirement in 1994.  He was superintendent of the year in Region 18 for 1992-93 and `993-94.

Larned was also West Texas Coach of the Year in 1967, 1973, 1974, and 1976, was voted into the Texas Panhandle Football Hall of Fame in 1982, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Texas High School Coaches Association in 1987, and was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 1992.

He has been active in civic endeavors in Monahans, serving as president of the Monahans Rotary Club, president of the Monahans Rotary Club, president of the Monahans Chamber of Commerce, named the Outstanding Citizen of the Year and served as chairman of the Ward County Appraisal District.

Mrs. Upchurch said, "Naming a building after someone is not to be taken lightly and the honor should be bestowed upon someone well-deserving and fitting."

After the board voted the honor for Larned, he said, "It's a tremendous honor and I do appreciate it."  He added, "Usually you have to be dead to have a building named after you!"

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In other action, the board:

*Voted approval for the 2003-2004 Student Handbook, the 2003-2004 Athletic Policies Handbook and the 2003-2004 Employee Handbook.  Most significant in the three are changes to the policies handbook for students involved in extracurricular activities and athletics.  Under those changes, a student in those categories who is given a given screening test and tests positive will be assigned to the Supervised Alternative Classroom (SAC) for 15 days.  During that time, the student can attend after-school practices but will not be allowed to participate in any competition.

Second offense will bring assignment to SAC or the Alternative Educational Placement (AEP) for 30 days.  Students can participate in after-school practices, but not any competition.  Substance-abuse counseling must be provided at the parents' expensive.

Penalty for subsequent offenses are progressively harsher with the fifth offense resulting in termination of the student's right to participate in any extracurricular or athletic activity for the remainder of the student's educational career.

*Approved expenditure of about $94,000 for several repairs, including purchase of a new bus for $58,000.  Other repairs include a new telephone system at Tatom Elementary, air-conditioning at the field house, work on the three large Lobo buses, a golf cart, a washing machine for the athletic department and, work n the door at the pressbox.  Even with the expenditure, officials said the school district will still end the year $151,000 in the black.

*Linda Schulz was named to calculate the 2003 rollback tax rate.

*Employed Sandra Holland as a teacher at Cullender Kindergarten, Sharon Lister to tech science and coach at Walker Junior High School, Gerardo Loya as assistant band director at Monahans High School and Mary Williamson to teach special education at Walker Junior High.