Pulling double duty: Happy coach Charles Byrd leading two teams into the basketball playoffs
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When Happy ISD Superintendint Ray Keith floated the idea of coaching both the girls and boys basketball teams to Charles Byrd, what was his response?
"I told him that was crazy," Byrd said with a laugh. "That's too much work."
As time went on, and the two discussed the matter further, Byrd began to believe that he could do both.
As the end of the regular season comes to a close, it's safe to say that he's done just that.
Byrd is in his fourth year overall at Happy, his second as head coach of the girls team and first as coach of the boys team. He's guided the boys to a record of 19-8 overall with an 8-2 mark in district, while leading the girls to an 18-12 overall record overall and 7-3 mark in district.
More important, he's helped both teams earn postseason berths while playing in the same district as perennial powerhouse Nazareth.
It's an impressive feat to lead just one team to the playoffs, but guiding two is a whole different ballgame — even at the Class 1A level. Keith wanted someone older to help develop the boys program and Byrd felt that he could pull off coaching both teams with a little help.
It hasn't been easy, but that's exactly what he's done.
“It gets tough sometimes when you have other things to do," Byrd said. "I need to scout and my assistant coach on the girls side. Karis (Carstensen) does a really great job of taking care of the girls side with me. … She’s been here two years and can really help out with everything."
On the boys side, Byrd has been aided by longtime assistant coach Jimmy Moore. It was worked out before the season that Byrd would go with the girls whenever there's a conflict and Moore would oversee things.
Moore is also Happy's athletic director, so Byrd knows who to contact if there's ever an issue.
"Sometimes I tell (Moore), ‘If you don’t get this right, I’m going to let the AD know you're not doing your job,'" Byrd joked. "Him and (Carstensen) help me out a lot."
Byrd is no stranger to taking on challenges.
A native of Clovis, New Mexico, he began his playing career at York College before transferring to West Texas A&M University, where he played from 1986-88. From there, he went on a 14-year journey as an international basketball player, beginning in Brazil and taking him across Europe.
Byrd even played a game against the San Antonio Spurs in 1999 in the McDonalds Open. He still has a picture of himself attempting a shot against Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
"Of course, I made the shot," Byrd said. "If anyone asks."
There are new challenges that come with this hybrid role and not just with the scheduling. There have been times in which the girls have lost a game and he immediately had to adjust his mind and get ready for the boys contests right after. He's had to focus on prioritizing the mental aspect of the game on the girls side, while helping develop the inside game on the boys side.
This is all in addition to his teaching responsibilities and his role coaching the cross country team.
It's a constant process, but one he's handled well. So, will he do it again next year?
“I don’t know," he said. "I don’t know what’s going to happen. Right now, if you were to ask me with everything going on if I’d do it again, I’d tell you, ‘You’re crazy to think I’d do both.’ When you get the summer off and next year comes around, though, you start thinking you can do things better. Right now, I don’t know. It’s a possibility.”
The boys playoff game has yet to be set, but the Happy girls will be in action At 6 p.m. Tuesday against Texline at Adrian High School.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: DOUBLE DUTY: Happy's Charles Byrd leading two teams into the playoffs
