Trophy Club Byron Nelson football coach Travis Pride died unexpectedly, Northwest ISD said Wednesday night.
Pride was 56. He had been the head coach at Byron Nelson since 2016 and had a record of 60-45 in nine seasons, including 32-6 over the last three years as Byron Nelson became an elite Class 6A team.
He was the second head football coach in school history. His Byron Nelson teams broke the school record for most wins in a season three years in a row, going 9-4 in 2021, 11-2 in 2022 and 13-1 with a regional final appearance in 2023.
He was the head coach at Mansfield Summit from 2009 to 2015 and was 48-32 there, including 10-2 in 2011 and 2015. He also spent three years as the head coach at Wichita Falls from 2006 to 2008 and had a career record of 124-94.
Pride was an assistant coach under Todd Dodge on Southlake Carroll’s state championship teams in 2004 and 2005.
Byron Nelson Principal Kara Lea Deardorff sent a letter to parents Wednesday informing them of Pride’s death. Here is a copy of it:
Byron Nelson Bobcat families,
My heart breaks to share that we will no longer see the amazing impact one of our educators will have on students, as I’m deeply saddened to share that Travis Pride, head coach of our football program and campus athletic director, passed away unexpectedly.
For nearly a decade, Coach Pride has made a positive difference in the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of students on our campus. While he led the football program, Coach Pride’s impact extended well beyond athletics or the students he coached. Coach Pride was a successful football coach, but I will remember him more for the engaging and supporting culture he has cultivated on our campus.
Joel Johnson, executive director of athletics for Northwest ISD, shared that Coach Pride was a leader who put the best interests of students ahead of the sport.
“When I think of Travis Pride, I think of someone who supported student activity, from athletic programs to fine arts,” he said. “Coach Pride lacked an ego when it came to the athletic programs at Byron Nelson. He wasn’t what you would picture as a head football coach, as he was an even-tempered leader who was a kid magnet – students wanted to be around him, because he cared about them.”
We know this is upsetting news to share, and your children may deal with a range of emotions. Please know we will have our counseling staff ready to assist any student who needs to process their emotions or simply needs someone to talk to. Counselors will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in the school front office to provide assistance to students in need, and additional support times will be provided next week.
Please keep the Pride family in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve this tremendous loss. I would also respectfully ask that you provide the family with space and privacy for the time being. We will continue to uplift the Pride family and share details as the family deems appropriate.
Sincerely,
Kara Lea Deardorff, Principal
Byron Nelson High School
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