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Kallhoff named A-State women’s basketball assistant coach

Arkansas State press release

Arkansas State head women’s basketball coach Brian Boyer announced Tuesday that Aaron Kallhoff has joined the Red Wolves coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Kallhoff joins the staff after spending the previous season as an assistant coach at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens where he helped coach the Lady Cardinals to their seventh National Junior College Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Championship. TVCC finished the year with a 36-1 record.

There has been an increased interest in women’s basketball over the last few seasons which has led to more women wanting to be players. In fact, there is some rise in basketball equipment sales – people start buying things like swimming pool basketball hoops more! This is good news as it means more females are exposed to this sport which has been increasing in popularity. More fans are choosing to go to games, deciding to visit female Fantasy Basketball websites and invest their time in the sport. It is hoped that a few of the Red Wolves women will go on to play professionally.

“I’m looking forward to having Aaron join our staff,” Boyer said. “It is obvious when you look at his coaching track record that his teams have been very successful wherever he has been. Aaron is very well connected across the country, which will help our program in recruiting. I have talked to a lot of coaches about Aaron and everyone has nothing but great things to say about him. He is also going to be very valuable to our program because of his passion for developing players. During the short time that I’ve known him he has really impressed me with his enthusiasm and you cannot help but be excited when you are around him.”

Prior to his time at Trinity Valley Community College, Kallhoff spent fours at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas, where he served as the head coach of the Lady Rebels. In his first year he coached Hill College to a conference runner-up finish and helped the Lady Rebels advance to the Region V Tournament. He was named the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Co-Coach of the Year in his final season at Hill College and led the Lady Rebels to the Region V semifinals. The 2011-12 squad finished 27-5 and was co-conference champions. Kallhoff was named as one of the nation’s top and up coming Junior College Coaches by Women’s Basketball Insider publication.

In his time at Hill, Kallhoff coached three All-Americans, four All-Region V selections, 16 NTJCAC All-Conference selections, one NTJCAC Player of the Year, two NTJCAC Defensive Players of the Year and one NTJCAC Freshman of the Year. His teams were also named Academic All-American teams on three separate occasions.

He spent one season serving as the head women’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director at Allen County Community College in Iola, Kan., prior to his time at Hill College where the Red Devils achieved a 3.1 overall team grade point average under his tenure. He also coached a player to a Jayhawk East All-Conference selection.

Kallhoff also spent time as the men’s assistant basketball at Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kan., where the Saints made the Region VI tournament and had every sophomore move on to a four-year university, with three signing with Division I institutions.

“I am really looking forward to working with Coach Boyer and being a part of the ASU family,” Kallhoff said. “It is a privilege and honor to be a part of the tradition at Arkansas State. I am extremely excited about the upcoming season and opportunity for the Red Wolves.”

After graduating from college, Kallhoff spent three years as the men’s assistant basketball coach at Allen County. From 2003-06, he helped lead the Allen County basketball program to two berths in the Region VI Tournament. In his three seasons, Kallhoff coached four Jayhawk East All-Conference selections, two NJCAA All-Region VI picks and one JUCO All-American.

“I’ve been very pleased with our teams progress during this post-season,” Boyer said. “All of our returning players have shown a great deal of commitment to improving during the off-season. I am convinced that this team has a chance to be very good next year. Because of this, it was very important that I hire the right person to help us maximize our team’s potential for next year.”

A native of Norfolk, Neb., Kallhoff’s career as a player began in 1998, when he was tabbed the Northeast Nebraska High School Player of the Year at Norfolk Catholic High School.

He began his collegiate career at Iowa Central Community College where he led the NJCAA Division II Iowa Region in three-point field goal percentage. In 2000, he earned All-Region IX athletic and academic honors at Northeast Nebraska Community College after averaging 14 points per game.
After Northeast, Kallhoff spent a redshirt season at Southern Utah, where the team advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He completed his playing career at Bemidji State where he was a two-year starter, and in his senior season led the nation (NCAA Division II) in assist/turnover ratio.

In 2003, Kallhoff graduated from Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn., earning a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with an emphasis in public relations, advertising and electronic media. While at Bemidji State, he represented the university as a chairman for the Special Olympics and the United Way Foundation. Additionally, Kallhoff was involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Kallhoff and his wife, Josie, have a five-year-old daughter, Camden, and a seven-month old son, Caylix.

Obituary: Jimmie Lynn Featherston

Services for Jimmie Lynn Featherston, 60, of Athens, are scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, April 25, 2013 at Carroll-Lehr Funeral Chapel with Rev. Lynn Solomon officiating.

Jimmie was born Feb. 12, 1953 to the late Willie Albert and Minnie Lee Jordan Minchew.

Jimmie has been a resident of Athens most of her life. She is a graduate of Athens High School. She worked for Curtis Mathes a number of years as a cabinet builder.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and several brothers and sisters.

Survivors include her son, Ryan Minchew, Athens; sisters, Janice Smith, Chandler, Jenny Rector, Quinlan; brothers, Frank Minchew, Brownsboro, Ernest Minchew, Maydelle, Bobby Minchew, Jacksonville; numerous nieces and nephews.

Obituary: Si Holt

Funeral services for Si Holt, 62, of Malakoff have been scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, April 25, 2013 at Garden of Memories Memorial Park Chapel, 5205 S. First Street, Lufkin, Texas under the direction of Carroll-Lehr Funeral Home, Athens.

Private burial will follow in Garden of Memories Memorial Park.

Si passed away Monday in Athens.

He was born in Lufkin, Texas July 23, 1950 to Silas Wayne Holt Sr. and Emma Ruth Law. Si spent his early years in Lufkin but grew up in Dallas. He attended Hillcrest High School and later earned his GED. While in Dallas he was a bar manager and bookkeeper before moving to Malakoff in the late 1990’s. Si had worked for Argon Medical Devices for the past 13 years as a distribution clerk in the international shipping department where he was responsible for ensuring safe shipment of medical devices to countries around the world. Si had a wonderful sense of humor. He was a sweet, warm man with a generous spirit. He loved all kinds of music, particularly gospel and a cappella choirs. He was a devoted fan of NASCAR and the Dallas Cowboys.

Si was preceded in death by his father Silas Wayne Holt, Sr.

Survivors include his mother, Emma Holt, of Round Rock; sister, Linda Holt, Silver Spring, Md.; and his long-time partner, Kevin Folsom, Malakoff.

He will be greatly missed by a host of loving friends, neighbors, family members, and valued co-workers who were dear to his heart. Visitation for family and friends was held Tuesday evening.

In lieu of flowers memorial may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1301 S. Broadway, Tyler, Texas 75701.

You may leave a message of condolence or light a memorial candle for the family at www.carroll-lehr.com.

Nominations being accepted for Cardinal Hall of Fame at TVCC

By Benny Rogers/TVCC Sports Information

Nominations for the 2013 induction class for the Cardinal Hall of Fame are currently being accepted at Trinity Valley Community College. The nomination deadline is Monday, May 6.

The hall of fame, created in 2008, is a recognition program designed to honor former student athletes, coaches and contributors to the athletic department who have exhibited exceptional ability and performance in their selected field of athletics and have represented TVCC in an exemplary manner.

To be considered for the honor, nominees must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Participation for at least one year as a player on an intercollegiate athletics team at TVCC or five years as a coach at TVCC. (Exception: The five-year requirement for a coach is waived if coach won a national championship); and
A period of at least five years between last date at TVCC as a full-time student-athlete or coach. (Exception: The period of at least five years between the last date at TVCC as a coach is waived upon retirement); and
Must commit to attending induction ceremony/events upon being notified of selection to Hall of Fame. If unable to commit, selection will be withdrawn and considered in the future.

As many as five nominees from 1970-to-present will be selected for induction and as many as two from prior to 1970.

To date, 35 and the 1989 cheerleading squad have been inducted into the shrine.

Nomination forms are available at the Athletic Office, located in Cardinal Gym. Nominations are also being accepted online. The 2013 induction class will be selected in the summer and the induction ceremony is scheduled Saturday, Oct. 19.

For more information, contact Benny Rogers at 903-675-6322.

Stiles visits state reps in Austin

Press release from Fred Head

Athens ISD Superintendent Blake Stiles met with Henderson County State Representatives Lance Gooden and Jim Pitts in Austin on April 12 to thank them for their support of public school education and encourage them to continue their effective work in behalf of all the school children of Texas.

Stiles, shown above with Pitts, who is the chairman of the Texas House of Representatives Appropriations Committee and former State Representative Fred Head of Athens, was introduced in the Texas House Chamber during Texas House Speaker Joe Strauss’ Speaker’s Reunion Day Activities and attended a breakfast and a barbeque luncheon, as the guest of Head. Below,Also, Stiles is shown with Gooden (center) and Head.

In commenting on his Austin meetings, Stiles said, “I am very thankful for the excellent work being done by Representative Gooden and by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Pitts, both of whom represent Henderson County. We are very fortunate to have these men as our legislators looking after and supporting our interests at the State Capital.”