The trophy case at LBJ High is filled with gold basketballs that coach Freddie Roland has earned since his arrival at the school in 1996.
Call it a legacy of winning. That can happen when you win the district basketball title 26 years in a row, a streak that ended last year. Roland would rather show you framed photos of players and teams he has coached over the years. He often brags he has never coached a player who failed to graduate.
At 77, Roland has coached his last game. He announced his retirement over the weekend and will likely spend more time with his tractors and cattle in Bastrop County.
On Monday, Roland told the American-Statesman it was time to step away, although he contemplated coaching until he turned 80.
“We’ve got a good team coming back (in the fall) maybe even better than the one we had this year,” Roland said. “Oh man, we’ve had some good kids and had several chances to win state. We’ve reached a point where I thought it would never going to come. So, I’m taking a break.”
Roland said he never kept track of the number of games he won. However, he was honored by the UIL a few years ago after winning his 600th game with the Jaguars.
Roland’s teams reached the state tournament four times.
Roland actually decided to retire in 2021 but changed his mind a few days later. His return stemmed from the school’s search for his successor. According to the Austin school district, Roland voiced support for his assistant coach Antoine Thompson to take his place. While some in the community felt Thompson was the obvious choice, others “expressed the need for a competitive, community-driven process.”
Uncle Freddie made sure the players graduated
Roland’s absence will leave a void at the school, said head football coach/athletics coordinator Joseph Raul, who refers to Roland as “uncle Freddie” because “he’s family to me.” The job will soon be posted by the Austin school district.
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“Freddie’s always been a passionate coach who loved his players,” Rauls said. “There’s always a ton of talent through LBJ but he was always had open arms when the players came back to visit. The biggest thing is that he helped turn boys into men.”
Roland’s iconic career began when he took over the basketball program for the 1996-97 school year. He brought style and consistency to the team wearing purple jerseys. He always wore a business suit to game, setting an example for his young, mostly Black players.
Roland has said he gain his work ethic from working on the farm. He owns about head of cattle. Over the years he has planted sweet potatoes, peas and cotton.
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Work ethic began while working on family farm
Roland’s father, the late Henry Clay Roland, demanded that all five of his children work the farm, he told the American-Statesman last year. The Rolands lived in Saint John Colony, an unincorporated community in Caldwell County. It was created by Black farming families who came from Webberville and purchased the land in the 1870s.
As for the future of LBJ basketball, Rauls said the search for a new coach will be statewide. He added that current assistant coach Michael Ortiz has taken on many off-the-court challenges to help Roland in recent years and will be a candidate for the job.
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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: LBJ basketball coach Freddie Roland retires after 29 successful seasons with the Jaguars
Reporting by Rick Cantu, Austin American-Statesman / Austin American-Statesman
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
