Coaching Legends
Coach Bart Bratcher
Coach Bart Bratcher feels very privileged to have played for Bobby Moegle at Monterey High School and for Dutch Schroeder at Baylor University. Coach Bratcher's career includes 4 years at Brazosport High School, 5 years at Irving High School and 33 years at Westwood High School. Bratcher’s teams gained 25 playoff appearances and Final Four appearances in ’76, ’86, ’88 and 2002. His teams earned 811 victories in the competitive Texas high school baseball landscape. Over 130 of his players continued their careers at the collegiate level, 12 played professionally at some level and 18 have coached baseball at some level. Bratcher served the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association as President, Vice-President, Regional Director, All Star director, founder and chairman of the Hall of Fame through the years. Bart was a co-founder and President of the Austin Area Baseball Coaches Association and a founder of the Austin Area All Star Game held at Dell Diamond each June. He founded the JET Baseball non-profit organization which sponsored an Austin summer baseball team called Jet and JET has allowed Bratcher to serve the Zimbabwe Baseball Association. Bratcher has worked with teachers, coaches and players in Zimbabwe while on faith-based baseball trips to Africa. He was inducted into the Texas HS Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Debbie, are blessed with two sons, Lee and Stephen. "The Lord has truly blessed me with the opportunity to work with dozens of great players and parents, many great coaches and mentors, supportive administrators and truly great support from family and friends.”
Coach Dennis Burton
When Westwood High School opened its doors in 1981, Dennis Burton was one of the many new faces who helped launch the school. While the students' names and faces changed over the years, the tradition of winning put together by Burton never did. “Our teams have accomplished excellent records and our players have become successful role models,” Burton said. “I'm proud of Westwood and its reputation for excellence on the court and in the classroom. Burton started at Westwood as a basketball assistant and as a defensive secondary assistant for Coach Kelly Reeves in 1981. He then took over the Westwood basketball program in 1987 for Gerald Adams and put together several proud moments for the Warriors. His career record of 408 wins and 239 losses all came at Westwood. Westwood's only trip to the state tournament came during the 1997-98 season, with Westwood going 31-7 and reaching the Class 5A state semifinals. Other achievements for the team included 13 straight seasons of 14 wins or more, 16 winning seasons, 11 seasons with 20 or more wins, eight district championships, nine playoff appearances, two regional tournament appearances and one regional championship.
Coach Jim Donahue
Central Regional High School 1981, Mount Sacred Heart 1982-1983,
One year club coach at Southwestern University men, one year club coach at University of Texas women, two year assistant at Howard Payne University
Westwood HS women 1984--2013,
Westwood HS Men: 1984-1991, 1999-2000
Overall record at Westwood: 630-173-63
District championships: 25
Regional Tournament: 13
Final Four: 6
TASCO State and Regional Coach of the Year
TASCO State and Regional all-star coach
NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year Coach Jim Donahue
Coach James Hood
After graduating The University of Texas in 1979, James Hood started his coaching career at Brandenburg Middle School and Lakeview High School in Garland before moving to Austin. Coach Hood served as the head tennis coach for the Westwood Warriors from 1988-2008. During his 20 year tenure, Coach Hood led the Warriors to 13 5A Team Tennis District Championships and led his team to the Regional Championship and State Finals in 1997. In addition, he had 24 players advance to the 5A State tournament culminating in State Championships in 1998, 1999 and 2007.
Coach Hood was responsible for influencing and guiding the growth of many young people during his time at Westwood, on the courts and in the classroom. His investment in students’ lives both during high school and beyond as a mentor and friend are invaluable to all of his former students and players. Coach Hood valued leadership, work ethic, character, academic success, and athletic success. Those qualities brought out the best in his students and players. His inspiration and passion for teaching are second to none. Coach Hood elevated the Westwood Tennis Program to incredible heights and did the same for all the people who had the privilege of calling him Coach.