Long line of Kountze basketball coaches carries winning ways to other schools

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*Article from Beaumont Enterprise*

KOUNTZE - Coaches have come and gone. Players have, too.

But through all the years of great expectations, disappointments and high hopes in sports, only one thing has remained the same at Kountze High School - its winning boys' basketball tradition.

"Kountze is rich in tradition and success," said current Lions basketball coach Duane Joubert. "There are big shoes to fill when you take over the program because there has been a lot of success here. The head basketball job is a high-profile position when it comes open."

Kountze makes its eighth state tournament appearance in Austin on Friday. The Lions have advanced to state in the 1970, 1975, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005 seasons.

The school is so deep in tradition, the winning has spilled over into other communities via former Kountze coaches. Kountze has practically been a breeding ground for successful coaches over the years.

Fred Williams, Andre Boutte, David Green and Todd Sutherland all have led the Lions program at some point during their coaching careers. All also have since either won a state title or made a state tournament appearance at another high school.

"I think every coach that has come through Kountze has learned a few things there," said Williams, who led Hebert High School to three consecutive state titles in the early 1980s. "You learn things, and you benefit from them in your next job."

Williams, who was an assistant coach when Kountze won its first state title in 1970, made a state tournament appearance during the 1974-75 season. He spent four years in Kountze before he took over the Silsbee program, where he led the Tigers to a state tournament appearance in 1976.

"Coach Ted Tate helped me out a lot during my early years," Williams said. "He was a tremendous influence to me. I think it is very important to have an experienced coach that you can get advice from."

After three seasons in Silsbee, Williams took over the Hebert program and won three consecutive state titles from 1980 through 1982 before the school's merger with Forest Park to create West Brook.

"Boutte, Green, Sutherland and Joubert are all quality coaches and quality people," said Williams, who will be honored for winning the 1982 state title during the Class 2A championship game on Saturday. "I think that is very important when you want to be a successful coach. You've got to find a balance between the two."

Williams, who was Kountze's principal for 12 years after he retired from coaching, hired Boutte for his first head coaching job at Kountze in 1987. Boutte spent two seasons at Kountze before he took over at Port Arthur Lincoln.

"Coach Williams was the one who convinced the board and the administration to hire me," Boutte said. "It was my first coaching job, and I guess he saw potential in me. He helped me out a lot at Kountze."

Boutte went on to coach Lincoln to state championships in 1991 and 1995 and later coached Ozen to a title in 2001. He has led teams to six state title games since his head coaching career began 19 years ago.

"Kountze has a basketball tradition, but I think they have also hired quality coaches to run their program," Boutte said. "I think every coach that has been there embraces the challenges that they are faced with."

Green, who is the former Memorial head coach, led the Lions to the state tournament in 1997. Green later led Central to the Class 5A state tournament in 1999 before he began the Memorial program.

Sutherland, who took East Chambers to a state tournament appearance, coached the Lions to three state tournaments and one Class 3A title in 2004.

The current Hardin-Jefferson coach now is leading a third school to Austin, as Hardin-Jefferson makes its first appearance today in the state tournament since the 1994 season.

Joubert hopes to lead the Lions to a third state title in four years.

Joubert, who spent five seasons as head coach at Hardin, won his first state title with the Lions in 2005. It was his first season coaching at Kountze.

"I always wanted to win a championship as a coach," said Joubert, who also won a state championship as a player with Hardin-Jefferson in 1991. "It was just an unbelievable experience when it happened my first year on the job at Kountze."

Joubert admits the Kountze job does come with a lot of pressure. But Joubert believes it's nothing that he can't handle.

"I don't mind the pressure because I put a lot pressure on myself to win," Joubert said.

"I like to win and I just try to do the right things as a coach to get it done. As a coach I don't think you would be successful if you didn't have good quality assistants. Coach (Ben) West and (Josh) Hancock both work hard and help out and that also makes us successful."

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