Marble Falls athletes aid in flood relief efforts
CAPTION: Colton Carroll (left), Charles Wood, Bodie Christopher, Hadyen Osti and Anton Cox assemble a tier shelf. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Marble Falls Independent School District athletic department’s coaches and players were working hard July 9 lifting and moving to get from one stop to the next in a hurry.
But they weren’t at Mustang Stadium for Forge ’25, the department’s summer strength and conditioning program.
Instead, some coaches and athletes, most of whom representing Marble Falls Middle School, were at The Ark of the Highland Lakes’ warehouse unloading donated supplies, food and drinks and putting cooked food into meal containers to be handed out.
High school students were at a RV park clearing debris and other large items after attending a training class at 7 a.m.
Marble Falls Middle School girls athletic coordinator Randi Humphries said the athletic department is simply doing for the community what residents and fans do for the Mustangs and Lady Mustangs – show up and support.
“Those are the things that are important to us as a program, and it’s something that we bought into,” she said. “We have a great community. We have a great support system. Our parents are the first ones to help anytime we need anything. Our kids have really bought into the process because they see us as their leaders doing it. We always tell them that nothing is bigger than what you are, and we do everything as an act of service for others, because that’s what we’re supposed to do.”
She calculated that about 75 students were on site.
Tennis head coach Samuel Whitley was moving larger boxes and helping groups of men move supplies that were on pallets.
“We probably had at least 25 middle school boys out here helping us organize the water, the food,” he said. “And we organized it, got it all wrapped up. I’m sure we had … middle school girls that were working inside, helping out with our organization of the materials inside.”
He pointed out that one of athletic director Keri Timmerman’s Four Pillars is service, which he emphasizes to his staff members and athletes throughout the school district. Timmerman presented his Four Pillars, based on Luke 2:52, during his interview with school district officials in fall 2023.
“It goes back to developing a sense of pride in your community,” the tennis coach said. “One of them is community service, serving in your community. We actually have our athletic department Forge’s, which starts at 7 o’clock in the morning for our high school athletes and (later) for our middle school athletes. But instead of doing that, this is their workout. And it was not mandatory. We had a great turnout here.”
Marble Falls independent School District Superintendent Dr. Jeff Gasaway said the volunteerism “says everything you need to know about the quality and character of our coaches and our student-athletes. At the end of the student’s time at Marble Falls ISD, I am hopeful that they will take values they have learned during their athletic experiences that will be a part of their lives. They are not learning just how to compete; they are learning how to be there when their community has needs. I am so proud of all of them.”
Humphries pointed out that not every student who volunteered is an athlete. Still, they showed up and gave their time, too.
“It just tells me that they’re leaders,” she said. “Not every leader is an athlete and not every athlete is a leader. We have several kids within our community that are just natural leaders. They may not be athletic; they might be musical, they may be more in the fine arts, or they might be more academic, or they might be our trade school kids. You don’t have to be an athlete to serve, and we love it when we have kids come up here that are not athletes, because they want to serve, just like we do. What I hope is that they see our kids serving and they want to be more like our kids.”
“When the kids see you working and sweating, it’s a model for what they need to be doing,” Whitley added. “Not all of us are young chickens anymore. It’s demonstrating — not just telling them but showing them — what they need to be doing. And they did a great job where they learned how to form assembly lines today and work together to get the job done.”
Humphries noted educators emphasize character traits that will serve students long after graduation.
“That’s something that we are very big on,” she said. “We’re very big on integrity, we’re very big on making sure that you are aware that you are being watched everywhere. So to have them out in the community, have them doing things that they’re not getting anything in return for – that’s big. They need to learn there’s times that you need to do stuff without expecting something in return.”
Gasaway, who said he is “extremely proud of our students,” pointed out that when Marble Falls Middle School opened as a shelter July 5, some of the first volunteers were the student officers of Future Farmers of America.
“In the middle of uncertainty and need, our students showed up ready to help,” he said. “Time and time again, when our community faces challenges, our students rise to the occasion. They come from strong homes, a supportive school district, and a community that works to instill the kind of values that reflect the best of who we are. Throughout their years in school, our students are given meaningful experiences that prepare them, not just for academic success, but for life. Seeing them step up to serve shows just how ready they are for whatever comes next.”
Humphries called it a “privilege to serve the community,” adding the number of student volunteers speaks volumes about their character.
“It says exactly what it’s supposed to say,” she said. “It says that they understand that being an athlete is not just about the sport or sports that they compete in; being an athlete is giving back to the community that comes out and supports them whether it’s band concerts, choir concerts, volleyball games, football games. It doesn’t matter what it is. They understand that they always have a responsibility to those around them.”
CAPTION: Jerimiah Crawford looks studies his bags before placing them in the correct pile as Quincy Rodriguez looks for a path to get more items. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
