Atascocita High School celebrated its retiring football coach Craig Stump and former star athlete Brice Matthews at a spirited spring pep rally, showcasing the school's dedication to honoring its most accomplished athletes.
Coach Stump, a 37-year veteran of the coaching world, was recognized for his impressive career building the Eagles into one of Houston's top-ranked programs. During his tenure, three players went on to play in the NFL and hundreds played college ball, with the team making it to the regional finals seven out of nine years.
"I've had a lot of people tell me that what we taught them has been helpful in their careers or families," Stump revealed when asked about his legacy. "It's amazing to think about all those athletes who have gone on to achieve great things."
Matthews, a former dual-sport athlete at AHS and current Houston Astros player, was honored with the retirement of his jersey number three by the baseball program. The talented athlete had always dreamed of playing baseball, but the celebration took him aback. "This is awesome," he said, overwhelmed by the gesture. "To see my jersey up there is just incredible."
Coach Stump, a 37-year veteran of the coaching world, was recognized for his impressive career building the Eagles into one of Houston's top-ranked programs. During his tenure, three players went on to play in the NFL and hundreds played college ball, with the team making it to the regional finals seven out of nine years.
"I've had a lot of people tell me that what we taught them has been helpful in their careers or families," Stump revealed when asked about his legacy. "It's amazing to think about all those athletes who have gone on to achieve great things."
Matthews, a former dual-sport athlete at AHS and current Houston Astros player, was honored with the retirement of his jersey number three by the baseball program. The talented athlete had always dreamed of playing baseball, but the celebration took him aback. "This is awesome," he said, overwhelmed by the gesture. "To see my jersey up there is just incredible."
... seems like it's not just about the person being honored, but also the players who followed in their footsteps. i mean, coach stump built a solid program and all, but what about the other coaches or mentors out there who did the same thing? don't get me wrong, it's cool to see Matthews' jersey go up, but what about the rest of the team that didn't make it to the pros 
I'm getting all teary-eyed reading about Coach Stump's legacy and how it's impacted so many lives! He must be one proud coach to see those players go on to achieve great things in their careers and families. And can we talk about Brice Matthews for a sec? 
Seeing his jersey number retired by the Astros is just amazing - he's an inspiration to young athletes everywhere, especially those who were like him, with a passion for baseball but also had other talents. It warms my heart knowing that all those years of hard work and dedication have paid off 
Coach Stump's legacy is crazy! I mean, 37 years? That's like, forever! I remember when Peyton Manning was still playing for the Colts (lol what a different time 
). Anyways, it's amazing that his coaching has made such an impact on so many players. Like, three of them went to the NFL? That's insane! And hundreds played college ball? Mind blown! The Astros honoring Brice Matthews' jersey number is also super cool 
. I feel like a different kind of time travel 
just happened.
. It's so great to see them honoring their coaches and athletes like this. I mean, Coach Stump has been around for 37 years, that's insane! The fact that he's built such a strong program is just amazing 
. And Brice Matthews going from being a star athlete at AHS to playing in the MLB? That's what dreams are made of 
. It's moments like these that remind us why sports are so special - they bring people together and create lifelong connections 
. I wish more schools could learn from this and prioritize their athletes' well-being and achievements 
And don't even get me started on the jersey number thing, Brice Matthews is basically a superhero now 
. But seriously though, it's awesome to see these schools honoring their most accomplished athletes and helping them achieve their dreams. Like, full circle, right? From high school football field to MLB star... that's some next level stuff 
. It's amazing to think about how sports can have such a lasting impact on people's lives. Seeing Coach Stump's dedication to building young athletes into successful individuals is truly inspiring 
. And Brice Matthews' story is a testament to the power of perseverance - who would've thought that the guy who always dreamed of playing baseball was actually a football star all along? 
. It's a beautiful way to honor their achievements and acknowledge the lasting influence they've had on the school community 
. I mean, 37 years of coaching is no joke, and he's helped build an awesome football program with tons of success stories - three players in the NFL? That's insane! 
.
. And Matthews' story is just heartwarming, going from playing football to baseball and now getting his jersey retired, what a legend 
Coach Stump's legacy is so inspiring! I mean, 37 years in coaching? That's insane! 
. I mean, three guys go pro and hundreds play college ball? That's crazy! And for him to say that what he taught them has helped in their careers or families... it's not just about the wins, you know? He must've done something right 
i love how humble he stayed about it tho & coach stump said his legacy is all about the impact they had on their students' careers fam 
! He must've taught those players some serious life skills, 'cause it sounds like they went on to crush it in the NFL 
That's a dream come true for any athlete, especially someone who had to balance sports & baseball. Coach Stump's legacy is all about building winners, not just on the field, but off too 
anyway back to this pep rally... coach stump sounds like a total legend, i mean who else can say they turned a bunch of teens into pro athletes lol and brice matthews is so cool, playing in the nfl and now in the astros, what's next?! did u know there's a new food truck festival coming to town this summer? gotta check it out!
. It shows how much the school cares about these athletes and wants to give them a proper farewell. The fact that they're not just talking about old times, but also acknowledging how his coaching has made an impact on people's lives... that's really special