Burnet CISD’s Messer resigns to work for Lampasas
CAPTION: Doug Messer is leaving the Burnet Consolidated Independent School District now that daughter Jaylee is about to graduate. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District girls basketball and golf head coach Doug Messer resigned May 8 to become an assistant coach on the girls basketball and track and field staffs at Lampasas High School.
“It’s a good move for me,” he said. “We live in Lampasas. It’s a good way to cut costs.”
Kristi Messer, his wife, also is taking a job at Lampasas Independent School District.
Doug Messer took over the Lady Dawgs basketball program soon after Rick Gates announced his resignation in July. It was the second time Messer was the program’s head coach. The first time was from 2013-16 when Mike Cavender resigned. Back then, Messer was his top assistant.
In all, he spent 13 years working at Burnet CISD.
“It’s been good for us,” he said. “God opened doors for us. It’s been good to me. There are no hard feelings.”
Messer said he returned to the front of the bench this season because of seniors Sydney Lough, Aubrey Mathews, Cydney Robison, Sierra Schaefer and Kloe Shannon.
“Those five seniors I felt like deserve some consistency,” he said in January before the Lady Dawgs started District 24-4A play. “They devoted that time and effort the last several years.”
The result was a Burnet team that contended for the district crown with wins over Jarrell 46-43 Jan. 14 and Salado 42-29 Jan. 24 on the road. The Lady Dawgs were the district runners-up.
“This last basketball season was special,” Messer said. “There was total buy-in. Along the way, we had some really good wins. We found ways to do the best we can and complement each other. I could get on them, and they knew where it was coming from.”
The list of great players is a long one, and Messer said he was happy to play a role in helping them achieve their goals
He said the timing is right for him and his wife. With daughter Jaylee graduating and about to start college, her parents are making decisions that put their family in the best financial position possible.
Messer said he is looking forward to working on Lady Badgers head basketball coach Marcus Chapa’s staff and assist the track and field program.
“I want to be around kids and help kids,” he said. “I love either one. I don’t have to have a title. I’m excited about it and not driving an hour. It’ll be a good move for us.”
He wants to be remembered “as a good man and made his kids better. I view myself as a team player and will fight for what’s right.”
