A genuine piece of Art

CAPTION: Art Dlugach (left) and Tyler McDonough, a 2015 Llano High School graduate, broadcasting another Llano victory. Courtesy photo

Editor’s Note: a two-part series about Art Dlugach and how he came to the Highland Lakes appeared in the April 2 and 9 editions of The Llano News. This story is independent from the series. Please pick up copies of The Llano News for those stories.

Art Dlugach was a self-proclaimed “Llano guy.”

That meant that in his eyes — and in his heart — the Yellow Jackets and Lady Jackets always had a chance, no matter the opponent or the odds. He was a walking encyclopedia of Llano sports history, from before he arrived in 1998 to help Duane and Becky Fox put their radio station, K-Bay 92.5, on the map to where the program is today with the same aim for Evan Chance at StingerFm.

Few loved the Jackets and Lady Jackets more than Art, known throughout the Highland Lakes as the Voice of the Yellow Jackets, and albeit the ones who may have loved them slightly more were alumni.

Art could be found at numerous Llano ball games, even if it meant he wasn’t calling them for the station or writing about them for The Llano News. Because to him and perhaps even the athletes themselves, it meant a lot that he was on the sideline watching.

But in the last couple of months, Art’s seat at courtside or in the press box has sat empty. He died March 26, 2026 at 82. He battled chronic lymphatic leukemia for more than two decades and when he passed, he was surrounded by his two daughters April and Kim and their families.

Services honoring him are at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Llano High School auditorium.

About a decade ago Art received the prestigious Jacket For Life award, the highest honor given to individuals whose words on the plaque explain its meaning: “By word and deed, your support has enriched the lives of Llano ISD Students.”

Art exemplified that sentiment, according to two men who worked closely with him.

“How much he loved Llano athletics and how much he cared about calling the games and really, really highlighting kids and making them feel good about themselves and about the work they were putting in in whatever sport it was they were playing,” Llano Independent School District athletic director and football and baseball head coach Matt Green said. “And he loved his job, I know that he didn’t view It as a job. He truly had a passion for calling ball games and he really, really loved supporting the kids.”

“He was the same guy every day,” said Llano ISD golf head coach Mike McIntosh, who worked with Art from day one until his passing. “You can use the word ‘genuine.’ You have a lot of sportscasters that are enthusiastic — that’s part of their jobs — and Art, especially and certainly, had his times of excitement, but he was always positive. He was always encouraging the kids.”

Before Art began writing for The Llano News about a decade ago, he was writing sports stories for The River Cities Daily Tribune. The Alvey family, which owned that paper as well as The Picayune, decided to begin a daily to cover all of the Highland Lakes. And the paper needed someone who knew Llano sports inside and out.

In short, reaching out to Art to fill that role was a no-brainer. And he did it until he had the opportunity to write sports for The Llano News. Green said Art’s accuracy in how he depicted the games, whether on the airwaves or in print, left a lasting impression.

“He was so eloquent with his words in the paper, very witty and very timely in his calls on the radio,” he said. “He was very blessed and loved his job, but he gave so many people joy.”

In 2020, the Llano football team reached the state semifinals for the first time ever. The station pieced together sound bites from some of the games.

“I still have them saved on my phone,” Green said. “It was really special. His calls were so on point. He just brought so many people so much joy, but I do think that Art loved what he was doing.”

McIntosh, who served on the girls basketball staff two decades ago, recalled Art often stopping coaches as they walked by him during halftime of a basketball game or after a volleyball match or basketball game ended requesting a live interview.

“He wanted to highlight everybody,” he said. “He was behind the entire program. He was behind every single coach, sport and athlete Llano had.”

Perhaps no basketball program brought Art more personal joy than Lady Jackets of the early 2000s when they were making runs to the state tournament, winning it all in the 2001-02 season.

“I remember looking down there when it was winding down and we’re about to win,” McIntosh said. “I envision this picture, this vision of him enjoying it. You could just tell he was in heaven. That was just a wonderful moment for him. Not really hearing what he was saying but just the look on his face. We were the best team in Class 3A that year, and so for him to be a part of that you could just tell it was very special to him.”

So who was luckier – Art for being the “Llano guy,” who called the greatest moments of the last two-and-a-half decades or those of us who were able to enjoy hearing him bring those games to us?

“A great question, and I can’t answer it,” Green said. “I think that’s the definition of having a job that is not a job because you get to enjoy it so much and bring joy to others, and he did it.”

“He would enjoy being thought of as a genuine friend of Llano athletics,” McIntosh said. “Which he was that. He never put on an act. When you talk about somebody who loved Llano sports and loved Llano kids, it’s him.”

CAPTION: Two men who epitomize Llano County’s spirit – Art Dlugach (left) and Briley Mitchell (right) and the writer. Mitchell, who passed away Jan. 11, 2024, was the editor of The Llano News when he died. When Art discovered that Jennifer Fierro was taking over his old spot on the Llano News’ sports desk, he said that “Mitchell and Fierro were an unbeatable combination.” This photo was taken in summer 2022 at Art’s insistence.