Michael D. Hailey, also known as Doc, has been a student trainer for 34 years and was awarded trainer of the year in the South and West Texas region. 

Doc, the head trainer of Crane High School, had a few things to say about his impact on the student-athletes of Crane. Doc states that his favorite part about training is helping athletes achieve their goals. 

“My favorite part about training is helping athletes not only get physically better, but to help them accomplish their goals in life. I also enjoy working with coaches and being involved in the Crane community.”

Doc explains that he has always been interested in training since junior high and stuck with it ever since.

“During junior high, sports was not my best aspect. I decided to be a manager who kept stats during the games. While being on the sidelines, I would see many kids injured and wanted to help. After seeing that I began taking courses in the summer and joined student training clinics. This had a huge impact in my life, because I found my passion in training and pursued it throughout college.”

Doc went to Baylor University in Waco, where he majored in sports medicine and kinesiology. Although it’s been a while since those college days, Doc says he isn’t even thinking about retirement. 

“My plan is to go at least six or seven more years, so I can complete a total of 40 years in training. But as long as I'm healthy, I can’t see myself stopping, and I plan on retiring here.”

Doc said that he had other plans initially on what to major in, but he changed his mind after a while. 

“Originally, I went into school for medicine and pre med. I then decided that going to school for that long was not something for me. I was a student-trainer in college for the Baylor University football team, and that reaffirmed my desire to be a trainer.”

Doc expressed how he felt after to receiving the title of best trainer in the South Texas and West Texas region. 

“It’s exciting knowing that I've helped my peers and know that people are appreciative of what I do. That makes me feel good knowing I'm doing something right. I would like to thank all the coaches for nominating me as the best trainer.”

Doc did have another job before education, however. 

“Before education, I had my own physical therapy in a sports rehab center in Austin during the 1990’s. We would work around the Austin area with schools and provide trainers.”

Doc said students wanting to pursue his line of work should stay focused and work hard. 

“My advice for students wanting to pursue student-training is to stay focused and pay attention during your science classes, and to make sure you have the desire to help kids to get better.”

During Crane sporting events, make sure to keep an eye out for Doc, as he and his team of trainers help out the Crane Golden Cranes and Lady Birds as they play against their rivals.

First, the Crane band performed in the preliminary competition and advanced to the finals. The Crane band astonished the judges and crowd and went on to become the silver medalist for the finals! 

Ryan Chambers, assistant band director, says he felt the band performed well at prelims, but he did not expect the band to take first place in prelims. He said that the band did not perform their best in the first performance of the day, but he knew if they made it to finals that they could have a shot at a better second performance. 

Chambers said that he thinks the band went out there really focused on their goal of getting first. He added that there were several places that the band had worked on that past week that were significantly better.

“There were only a couple of spots that I thought needed to be more refined, and Jose’s solo was too loud (not his fault),” said Chambers. “But overall, it was a very solid run!”

Chambers said that he is very close to this particular group of seniors who are in band since they were his first group of freshmen when he got here. 

“Two state marching appearances, and a second-place finish at Area in the non-state year, is nothing short of spectacular. I'm extremely proud of the accomplishments the entire band class of ‘23 has done.”

Sara Hill, head band director, said that she feels the band’s performance for finals was the best one all season. She added that they left it all on the field and said she is incredibly proud with the performance at Area Finals.

Hill said she could not be more proud of these kids. 

“They went through some obstacles this season, and boy did they show up at Area finals.”

Hill said it was nice to see how the band worked together.

“It was just so fun to see all of the band students come together, and have such a great feeling coming off that field for the last time. We were up against some pretty tough competition, and they definitely stepped up to the plate and delivered a great performance. 

Hill said there is no such thing as a perfect performance, and there is always room to make something better. However, there is not much to change about Saturday. She said the band gave it their all, and that's all she can ask for. 

The Crane band came up a little short this time, finishing one point behind Clyde, but this band was outstanding on Saturday. 

“We finished first in prelims with a performance that was not our best, made a few corrections, and finished with a great run. I think seeing the joy and excitement in their eyes knowing they had a great run was the best part of the day.”

With this year being Mrs. Hill's first year back, she stated that the experience was rewarding and maybe a little stressful all at the same time. She said that this time was a great first year back in Crane, and a band that she will never forget. 

“The Crane band has a great group of seniors and leaders who have led this band this year and have helped me tremendously. I look forward to many great years with the Crane Golden Crane Band. 

Hector Limon, Crane High School principal, went to the Area competition in Abilene to watch the band perform. His thoughts on the performance were that the band did a great job and were definitely contenders for the final cut. He also said that once the band made the cut and went to the finals that he was blown away with the adjustments and corrections made in such a short period of time. 

“The final performance was definitely the best one of the year,” said Limon. “I was confident that we had indeed performed at the state-level. The Golden Crane Band did not disappoint!” 

One of the many great senior leaders is Omar Reynoso, he was in denial that this Saturday was the last time he’d ever march with the Crane High School band. 

“After my final cutoff to cue the band to stop, I took a breath and looked in awe as I realized that was my final moment of being in competitive marching band. Then, I bowed my head and took a moment to myself to fully grasp my final moments. Although we were short a point, I wouldn’t change a thing.” 

Freshman, Itzel Venegas, also felt that the show was the best of the year.

“I felt excited,” she said said, “but at the same time I know we could’ve gotten first. We were all confident we could’ve gotten it, but I think overall we did amazing individually and together as one.”

Since its the freshman's first year of marching band, there’s a ton of pressure, and Venegas definitely felt it.

“Marching as a freshman is very difficult. You have the upper class telling you what you're doing wrong, or what to fix, but I don’t mind it because I’m learning from them as well.”

Every year the Crane High School band improves from previous years, and Venegas is excited to experience the next few years.

“It’s going to be tough next year since it's going to be a state year,” Venegas stated, “but I can’t wait to continue being a part of the amazing band we have here in Crane.” 

The band performed a special black-out performance of their show at halftime following the varsity football game with Compass tonight. It was a special moment and opportunity for the community to experience all the hard work the band put in this year.

Perero moved to Crane to experience America. 

“I wanted to learn about the culture here, the language, and to meet the people that live in the United States of America.”

Perero said he likes the traditions we have here. 

“I've heard about Halloween and Thanksgiving, and I've visited state fairs.” 

Perero mentioned how he likes the school here. 

“You see so many people go and support the football team and their friends and families, while in Spain you see mostly five people.” 

Perero mentioned how his favorite thing to celebrate is called Penguins, but his least favorite is Semana Santa.

“Penguins lasts a week, with bonfires, burning a statue of a penguin, and they sleep outside while 0 degrees, while Semana Santa is a huge catholic celebration where hundreds and thousands of people carry wood shaped different saints.”

Valladolid is a big city with a lot of gothic architecture. 

Perero said he wants to be a foreign exchange student because he wants to learn more about our culture.

“I wanted to go to a country where they speak English and meet new people and learn about the country.”

Perero said that the two  big differences he sees between Mexico and Spain are the school and the freedom.

“I’ve noticed that the school from Spain is more strict than the one from Mexico. I've noticed that Mexico has more freedom; they are allowed to do more things that we can’t.”

It's not everyday you get to meet a hispanic from Spain in Texas. If you see Perero in the halls, tell him, “Welcome to Crane!”

Married? How long?:  Yes, my wife Kristie and I have been married for about four years now. We currently have two small children: Brooks, two, and Canaan, will be one in February.”

How long have you been in education? I have been in education for six years.

Where were you at before Crane? I was in Lubbock, teaching middle schoolers at McCool Academy for the last couple of years. Before that, I was teaching at the high school level.

What do you do for fun?  I enjoy spending time with my family, golfing, painting, drawing, sculpting and working out.

How many siblings do you have? I have two older siblings, both brothers: Hector and Marcus.

What is one of your hidden talents? I used to be able to throw a baseball pretty hard..now not so much. I’m getting too old. I’m a decent artist who doesn’t have enough time to ever get anything done. I think that is one, kind of.

What would students be surprised to find out about you? I used to play college baseball, but got hurt right after I signed. I had one shoulder surgery, and one elbow surgery (Tommy John). I think I might have about three years of eligibility left.

Do you have any pets? We have two pets, both dogs: Duke (six-years-old) mix of about 10 breeds that all look like chihuahuas. Jibb is eight-years old and is a black lab retriever.

If you won the lottery and decided to give up working in education, what would you do instead?  I think I would open up a small gym, paint/sculpt every day, and buy a membership at Pebble Beach.

What inspires you? My family inspires me every day.

What is your dream vacation? If that isn’t feasible, I guess I’d take golfing at Augusta and catching a game at Truist Park the next day.

What are your trapped-on-a-desert-island books and movies?  My books would probably be: My Bible and The Old Man And The Sea. My movies would be No Country for Old Men and Ken Burns’ “Baseball.”

Is there anything else you would like to share? About you? Working in education? I’d like for my students to find something that they’re passionate about and find a way to earn a living in that field.

 

Bonfire: Thursday, October 27 at 8:30 pm

Fall Festival and Trunk-or-Treat:
When: Saturday, October 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Where: Exhibition building on 6th street

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS

Halloween
Trick-or-treating
When: Sunday, October 30 from 5:00 to 7:00

Halloween: Monday, October 31

National Day of the Deployed: Thursday, October 26

National Pumpkin Spice Day: Saturday, November 1

“Although I'm happy making it to state for the second time, I'm sad that my team didn't qualify with me to make memories.”

Escobedo had very high hopes for herself and her team.

“In the beginning of the season, my goals were to break a personal record by running a 12 and to make it to state as a team and individually. I met two of my goals.”

Escobedo played a mental game throughout the run to achieve the goals she set for herself.

“In the beginning of my race, I told myself to start out strong and stay top 20 throughout the whole race. I knew that if I pushed myself to stay with girls who made it individually, that it would help push my way to state.”

Shae Coates is a freshman running with varsity. She has a very strong passion for cross country and hates it when it comes to the end of the season. This year she is sad that her first high school season has ended.

“ I’m extremely sad. Cross country wasn’t just about the running; we all built bonds with each other, and I didn't want it to end. Jack and Nylah were running what was going to be their last race ever. All of us were so upset because we’re all so close with them. We all wanted to go out and do our best for each other because we knew it could be the last race for them and for the rest of us the last of the season.”

Cross Country coach, Machele Pahl, has very high hopes for the next season and is very proud of how these runners have done.

“Thankfully, our season has not come to an end just yet. While the goal was to get both teams back to the state meet, those that did not advance ended their season with heart and a PR. These kids have put forth dedication and a lot of hard work to continually hold the standard that we have set for ourselves through the years. I’m thankful for our whole team and excited for Arianna as she will represent Crane XC at the State meet next week.

When asked about the seniors and the impact of losing them next year, Pahl had this to say.

“There’s no doubt the seniors have played a huge role in the continued success of the program for setting examples of dedication and being leaders to the younger classmen. They will definitely leave big shoes to fill, but I'm confident that the juniors will be able to step up next season and follow the lead that those have set before them.”

Rodriguez worked for her masters then became the assistant principal at Abell Junior High in Midland. She said she absolutely loved being an assistant principal and stated it was probably her favorite job.

“It was always a new day, and I was able to be involved with students.”

Rodriguez's family was growing at the time, and they decided to sell their house in Midland so they could build a new one.

“Our house sold in 24 hours and we had to move out quickly, so we came to Crane to stay with my parents.

“We loved it so much we decided to move back.”

Rodriguez stayed home for about six months before she started to miss education. 

“At that time, I decided to apply in Odessa. I didn't want to work in the school where I grew up for some reason. I just had this phobia of teaching in a small school.” 

She then became the assistant principal at Odessa Gonzales elementary school.

“I commuted back and forth, all the while trying to make all my kids events in Crane. It was really tough and starting to take a toll on me mentally and physically."

She sought other career opportunities in Crane.

“I had the opportunity to purchase The Dugout and decided to resign from my position as principal and run my business.”

This lasted about six months before Rodrigues said she got the urge to go back into education.

“My heart just belongs with kids, so I decided to give Crane a try and become a long-term sub.I absolutely love ISD.”

Rodriguez later on decided to apply full-time at Crane High School and was hired to teach English and to coach. And the rest, as they say, is history.

“Crane is a truly amazing place with the best teachers, parents, and students! They always say home is where the heart is, I just can’t believe it took me 15 years to figure that out! I absolutely love what I do and I hope to finish out the rest of my years in Crane.”

With this blackout, many were affected, such as CHS students who had not yet finished their homework, and those who had their Chromebooks and phones uncharged. They also had jobs on paper that could not be finished due the lack of light. 

Many students were worried, thinking if the electricity would arrive the next day. This blackout brought back memories of the “snowpocolypse” from a while back when many were without power for days.

Many students were wondering if they had to return to the school because it was cold and there was no heating. Also, because there are some classes that have little to no lighting.

Most smart boards in the classroom work with electricity. And many students mostly utilize their computers in the classrooms. Because of this, many students were wondering if going to school was even going to be productive after a night with no electricity.

The good thing is that the electricity was restored the next day. And the students were able to return to their normal schedule without any problems. But this whole experience has made me think about this: owning a generator that can keep the lights on in moments like this doesn’t sound like such a bad idea after all!

Coach Raymond wanted to coach eve since he was a junior in high school because he loves to compete and is a fan of devising strategies.

His first coaching job was at Uvalde, and for half his coaching career he’s been coaching in Medina Valley, Hondo and D'Hanis.

Raymond’ said he’s always enjoyed basketball because he likes the pace of the game and the teamwork that leads to success. 

Raymond said his favorite sport is basketball, and he’s super excited for the season to get going.

“The start of basketball is always exciting. We will be ready for the season to start. Hopefully, it will be a late start due to a long and successful football season.”

When you see Coach Raymond in the hall, congratulate him on starting another year of a long and successful coaching career.

When the band was placed in the hands of another capable band director after the retirement of Daniel Todd, everyone was curious to know what this would mean for future band competitions. This curiosity has been satisfied, however, following the band’s recent string of success at area and regionals.

Because Sara Hill has done such a good job for Crane High School, she was recognized by being selected for the “Difference-Maker Award” by the principal, Hector Limon, and the superintendent, Dr. Stephanie Howard.

She was both surprised and humbled about the recognition.

“I thought our administration was coming to congratulate the band on their outstanding accomplishment at Area Marching Contest,” Hill stated.

She expressed delight over the award, however.

“I feel very honored and humbled to be chosen by my peers for this award.”

Hill had many she wanted to thank for being in her corner. 

“I must acknowledge my incredible band staff who works with me every day. Russell Dean and Ryan Chambers have been so great, and I could not have accomplished the things I have done this year without them. I’m thankful Dominic Rivas, Ryan Rodriguez, Aaron Rodriguez, and Lisa Bejarano, who gave us an extra hand at evening rehearsals. I also want to thank our supportive administration who have our backs in everything we do.”

Hill also had kind words for the previous band director, Mr. Todd.

“Lastly, I owe so much to Daniel Todd. He has been an absolute incredible mentor and dear friend to me over the years, and I cannot thank him enough for convincing me to move to Crane 13 years ago.” 

Hill hopes that the band will continue to become closer and stronger.

“I hope we can keep growing as a band family and attain our goals as we push these kids to their fullest potential this year.”