Andrea Kearney, a winning coach for school, hometown and family

Coach Andrea Kearney does her hometown proud. And no one could be prouder than another coach, her father, Paul. Andrea Kearney’s list of accomplishments are long, real long. She’s the head basketball at DeSoto High School, a 6A school near Dallas. For instance, she won back-to-back state championships at DeSoto. One championship, alone, would have made history for the school. The Dallas Morning News named her “coach of the year.” The same honor also came from the Texas High School Coaches Association. Among the rest of his accomplishments is this one: head coach at Michael Jordan’s “Jordan Brand Classic” tournament. You get the idea. She’s something special to Wharton, and to her Mom and Dad, the city and schools of DeSoto, and her profession. And I can’t wait to meet her. I am also going to talk about her dad, retired Coach Paul Kearney, whom I have known since a small group of people put together the Boys and Girls Club in Wharton years ago. I saw him many a day, back then, at the old gym at Dawson Elementary, with that whistle around his neck guiding young people — what a blessing. The Dawson campus is now the home of Just Do It Now. I also know Paul, as a musician, a very fine, working musician, in a well-known band, the Superior Band, also with his also talented brother, Cj. I also know Paul for being instrumental in bringing the largest festival here in the history of Wharton, the James Simmons Jr. Juneteenth Celebration. I feel certain Paul will love me writing about his daughter, but I also feel certain he will not like me writing about him. It’s one of the many fine things about him — his humility. Wharton is so darn lucky. Thank you, the Kearneys. And thank you, readers. “Players win games, but teams win championships.”