Italy Head Football Coach Craig Bales and his Defensive Coordinator/Head Track Coach Robert Sollers, will be representing Italy at the State Track Meet next week. Coach Bales as a Member of the THSCA UIL Advisory Committee and Coach Sollers as a State Track Meet Official for the 27th consecutive year.

Coach Bales has been a member of the THSCA Advisory Committee for three years. However, Coach Bales was elected in West Texas, so he will be stepping-down at this year’s meeting.

Unfortunately for Coach Bales, he is new to Region III, and will have to work his way to the top again for a chance to be re-elected to the committee by this Region’s coaches. There are many more 5A schools here than are in West Texas, so it is harder for a small-school coach to get the votes here.

The THSCA Advisory Committee Members will come to know Coach Bales as a great representative of the game soon enough, but it will take some time.

Coach Bales made this comment regarding not being directly involved with the THSCA next year, “I’ve really enjoyed having some influence on the direction that the game of High School Football is heading. Joining this Region’s Advisory Committe is definitely a goal of mine but the current representatives are doing a fantastic job.”

Coach Robert Sollers reflects back on his 27 years as a State Track Meet Official saying, “It has brought me alot of pride. In many of those years I have had several competitors, from the schools where I was coaching, compete at the meet as well. I have no doubts, at my 28th year officiating the event, I’ll be watching our Gladiators compete for gold medals.”