Barbay's coaching legacy reaches far beyond Southeast Texas
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

Jasper Coach Thomas Brooks knows the coaching legend of Curtis Barbay

"He's a legend - not just around here but in the whole state of Texas,"

Brooks said. "You can go around anywhere

in Texas and mention Curtis

Barbay and they have heard of

him. I'm looking forward to

coaching against him. It's fun."

This Friday at Singletary Stadium in Newton, Barbay's

Eagles and Brooks' Bulldogs

will face off in their annual

rivalry contest.

Barbay will enter his 43rd year in coaching, 22 of those years in Newton and his sights are once again on the Class 2A title.

"I enjoy the battles of coaching - I don't like playing teams that I know we are going to beat before we go out there," Barbay said. "That's not any fun."

And Barbay knows the Bulldogs will provide a strong challenge for Newton in their home opener. In fact, Barbay believed that last year's Jasper squad was the best team his Eagles faced all season long.

Barbay knows he has experienced a bit of luck during his 20 plus years in Newton.

"I have enjoyed it here and it's a strange thing to coach this many years at the same school," Barbay said. "Most people get run off after so long and I know I have made people mad. I don't care if they like me or don't like me, I will treat the kids fair."

Some of Jasper's current coaching staff has roots with the Barbay legacy. Jasper Offensive Coordinator Ty Quick was given his first coaching job with Barbay in Newton.

"We all know each other and that makes it even more fun," Brooks said. "It's not too much fun if you don't win but at the same time you know you are going to be a better ball club because of playing his teams."

Barbay has no plans on retiring from the coaching sidelines anytime soon.

"As long as my health holds up, I will be here," Barbay said. "They ain't working me to death. I enjoy what I do and look forward to coming to work and I think it would be a disappointment if I sat at the house.

"I still care about the kids. I look forward to coming to work every day. This has never been a job to me," Barbay said.

Brooks believes Barbay's coaching legacy will live on long after the coaching legend calls it quits.

"When a guy like Coach Barbay tells his players to do something, they believe it and do it," Brooks said. "That Newton program is a winning program and no Newton team there doesn't want to be the one that didn't win like the others."