Abilene Cooper hoops assistant Bacon named head coach

The Abilene ISD on Tuesday elevated assistant boys basketball coach Michael Bacon to head coach at Cooper High School.

Bacon takes over for Bryan Conover, who announced that he is stepping away from coaching to spend more time with his family. Conover, who has been at Cooper for 16 years, said he intends to remain in the school district. The job switch maintains local ties; Conover is a 1996 Abilene High graduate who played at Hardin-Simmons.

Conover recommended Bacon for the job. After going through the formal interview process, ASID administration seconded Conover's motion to promote the assistant coach.

"Man, what a day," he said at the AISD's downtown administration building. "In one or another, all of you are part of this journey and part of our program. This is a dream come true. I've wanted to be a head basketball coach since I was 12 years old."

Only 22, Bacon in 2012 led Abilene Christian High to the TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) 2A title. An ACHS alum, he was attending Abilene Christian University at the time.

Bacon has been at Cooper for five years. He also has been at Ballinger (one season) and Irving (two seasons) high schools. He was a student assistant at ACU.

"Wherever he's been, he's established a winning tradition," AISD Athletic Director Jim Garfield said. "He is very well respected in the basketball community. He is a relationship-builder. He's an outstanding teacher."

Garfield paused and said a basketball official even chimed in, saying, "This is the guy we need for our kids to teach them life after basketball."

Unlike Garfield and assistant AD Del Van Cox, who were wearing royal blue Cooper polo shirts, Bacon was in a suit, adorned with a blue tie and red pocket square.

Like Conover, Bacon's local ties go deep, He is the son of KRBC news co-anchor David Bacon and retired ACU journalism and mass communications chairperson Dr. Cheryl Bacon. Bacon said she has watched him play and coach more than anyone.

Michel Bacon said that while he grew up around sports thanks to his dad, he wanted to be to have a more active role. David Bacon formerly was a TV sports director and still calls McMurry games on radio broadcasts.

"Going to games with him is how I knew I wanted to be a coach," he said. "But I wanted to be on court or on the field side of it more.

Bacon thanked those attending who had a part in bringing him to Tuesday.

"Thank you for your support of me and my dream," he said. He noted coaches such as ACU's Brette Tanner and retired Abilene High football coach Steve Warren for being models while he developed his coaching style.

He called out Conover.

"You believed in me more over the last four years than anyone I've ever worked for," he said.

Seated in the front row was his wife, Sarah, accounting vice president for First Financial Bank, and their 3-year-old daughter Hailey, who wore a blue dress with a red ribbon in her blond hair.

"They keep my sane during the basketball season even if I make them insane in the process," he said, smiling.

He credited two grandfathers, and two things they said "stand out on a day like today," Bacon said.

J.C. Mann told him, "Don't forget where you came from and who helped get you there."

Richard Bacon told him, "You get out of something what you put into it."

Bacon said that has never been truer.

"A lot has gone into getting here," he said.

Cooper, now is Class 5A, won two straight district titles before finishing second this year.

"We've had a good run, and that starts with our kids and staff," Bacon said. "You can't replace Conover and I'm not going to try to. I'm going to try to be me."

Assistants Josh Alcorn and Karl Wilcox are expected to remain with the program.

"When you're good and when you're good over an extended period of time, that target gets bigger every year. You've got to make sure you don't become a victim of your own success," he said. "If you don't look for little ways to get better, you're going to get beat and you're going to get knocked down.

"We've been really good for three years in a row. Obviously, we want to continue that into the playoffs. There's not any reason for us to fall off. Doing what we've been doing and improving where we can. Normally, if you do those things, it will take care of itself."

Bacon said preparing student-athletics for high school ball is key. That means at the middle school level and through outside youth programs.

As for thinking back on his early coaching days at ACHS, Bacon said his only regret is not savoring it more.

Now that he has circled back to Abilene, he promised himself, "If that perfect storm ever came together again, I would not take it for granted. Well, it came together again."

He also was wearing his state championship ring

Asked if the ring gives him some court cred with his players, Bacon said it really doesn't.

"It helps but at the end of the day, kids are kids and they don't necessarily care what you've done before," he said. "They care about your relationship with them. I coach kids hard. But you can coach a kid only as hard as they know you love them. That's what made that team good.

"A coach is only as good as his players," he continued. "I've gotten to coach some really good ones. if not for them, I wouldn't be in this position today."

Cooper, now is Class 5A, won two straight district titles before finishing second this year.

"We have built something really special in our basketball program at Cooper High," he said. "I am honored to lead what we've already started."

Tuesday wasn't about him but everyone involved in the journey.

"And the journey's only begun," he said.

"Find a way. Go Coogs."

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: ARN New Cooper boys hoops coach