Find the Butavan

A warm muffin on a plate beside a cup of coffee, representing Coach Stan Leech’s story “Find the Butavan” about faith, humor, and life’s small blessings.

Growing up in Brownfield, Texas, we didn’t exactly live in the middle of the fine dining capital of the world, but on special occasions, there was one place in nearby Lubbock that felt like we’d stepped right into something special—the 50 Yard Line. In West Texas terms, the 50 Yard Line was the perfect blend … Read more

Mums

High school football players kneeling on the sideline during a night game, wearing blue uniforms and holding helmets.

In Texas, you can feel Homecoming before you see it. It’s the jingle of bells on a ribbon, the rustle of mums brushing down a hallway, and the low hum of a marching band in the distance. The air is cooler—football weather—and Friday night isn’t just another game. It’s the night a whole town comes … Read more

Just Stay Down

Paul Newman as Luke lies beaten but unbroken in the dirt, with prison guards watching from above in a scene from Cool Hand Luke.

“Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…” – Proverbs 24:16 In 2009, Boerne High School reopened its doors, and with it, the heartbeat of a small-town tradition came back to life. We had closed the school for a calendar year while it was remodeled. And with that return came the need for a … Read more

We Do What We Want

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

I once heard a simple line that stopped me cold. As the saying goes, “We do what we want to do, and we don’t do what we don’t want to do.” At first, it made me laugh—it sounded like something someone might say to justify skipping a meeting or leaving a party early, but the … Read more

Broken Windows, Dead Roses, and Brown Patches

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

I remember it well. We were in the Williamsons’ backyard, playing our usual brand of neighborhood baseball, a mix of hustle, imagination, and questionable judgment. I got hold of a great pitch and sent it soaring…straight through the neighbor’s kitchen window. We all scattered like we were running from the law. A few yards later, … Read more

Walk Up Music

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

It’s the start of a new season. The grass is mowed, the lines are chalked, and the air is buzzing with anticipation of competition. The players take the field, and then—there it is—the sound that cuts through the noise of the crowd. Walkup music. If you’ve been around high school baseball or softball in recent … Read more

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SCOTTIE

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

Mothers have a way of telling us exactly what we need to hear, even when it is not what we want to hear. For my mother, Scottie Florene Leech, this was her specialty. Scottie could cut through distractions, set the game plan, and make sure we didn’t waste time worrying about the wrong things. Sometimes … Read more

Watering Your Own Grass

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

In spring 1989, coach Terry Morris taught the importance of “blooming where you’re planted,” emphasizing that fulfillment isn’t found in better circumstances but in embracing one’s current situation. Easter symbolizes transformation from within, reminding us that life can flourish even in hardships. Trusting God’s plan allows us to experience renewal daily.

Faith & Leadership: Work Heartily, as for the Lord

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

As March Madness unfolds, basketball fans everywhere agonize over brackets that inevitably unravel by the first weekend. It’s a season that reminds us of the unpredictability of competition and the importance of perspective. And yet, amid the chaos of missed shots and buzzer-beaters, valuable life lessons emerge—not just about basketball, but about life itself. In … Read more

Faith & Leadership: A Call to Serve

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

As I reflect on nearly four decades of coaching and directing athletics in Boerne ISD and teaching a weekly Bible study at First Baptist Church, one truth continues to shape my life; God is in charge, nobody else. This simple but profound reality has guided me on and off the court, in victories and defeats, … Read more