Faith, family, and football: Kates brothers make history as the first-ever head coaching trio in Texas

Richland head coach Ged Kates, La Grange head coach Matt Kates and Merkel head coach Will Kates are the first brother trio in Texas state history to all be head football coaches at the same time.

Brett Esch

Football runs deep in the Kates family. Coaching does as well, apparently. Brothers Ged, Matt, and Will Kates prove this to be true as the first trio of brothers to concurrently serve as head high school football coaches in the Lone Star State’s history.

“I'll tell you what, it's a calling. It really is,” said Matt Kates, the middle child who has served as La Grange’s head coach since 2010. “We come from a family of educators and were truly raised on faith, family, and football in that order. I mean, when your mom is yelling at the television screen for famous running backs to hit the hole on power, you know it’s different.”

Any true Texas high school football aficionado knows the claim Matt makes regarding the order of his family’s priorities is no lie. The trio’s grandfather, Joe Kerbel, won two state championships as the head coach at Breckenridge in the 1950s.

Coaching seemed like destiny for the Kates brothers.

“Our grandfather set the tone for us,” said youngest brother Will, who was just tabbed for his first head coaching gig at Merkel. “He died before any of us were born, so we didn't really know him. But we had a book about him that one of his assistant coaches wrote, and it’s something that we've all read multiple times. I think his legacy is vicariously living on through us, which is an unbelievably special thing.”

Ged – the oldest – has been Richland’s head coach since 2012. Recognized by his brothers as their role model, he puts into perspective exactly why the coaching profession has been so appealing to his family.

https://twitter.com/GedKates/status/1264764910204059648

With that comes the natural competition that brothers are going to have.

So who is the best coach of the three?

“I'd like to see what [my brothers] said to this one,” Matt answered with a laugh. “I think that's a tough deal because as I said earlier, we're so unique. However, if you’re looking for the most diverse coach, I’d have to say myself. I’m the defensive one of the group but have coached quarterbacks for the past nine years. I think we all have so many dang traits that are similar, but also many that are different. But there's no question that I got them on that front.”

Will answered with a chuckle of his own, saying, “That's a hard, hard question. I truly believe we all have great qualities, but I've finally got my shot this year – and hopefully it's a great opportunity for me to put my own stamp on a program and eventually be the best.”