Former Marble Falls coach, teacher Wayne Neely loved watching kids succeed
Former Marble Falls High School teacher and coach Wayne Neely passed away Jan. 4, 2018. He was 73. Courtesy photo
STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO
MARBLE FALLS — While the Marble Falls High School girls golf program flourished under Wayne Neely’s tutelage, the former coach and science teacher is remembered for that: being a teacher.
“He enjoyed kids succeeding,” said Lonnie Tackitt, Neely’s longtime friend and fellow coach.
Neely passed away Jan. 4. He was 73.
A memorial is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, at the Marble Falls Church of Christ, 711 Broadway.
Neely coached and taught for more than two decades in the Marble Falls Independent School District and even came out of retirement as a volunteer to assist Tackitt with the golf program. It was something he truly loved doing.
When Tackitt became the head boys golf coach at Marble Falls High School in 1991, he took the reins from Neely, who remained the girls head golf coach. The two coaches got along so well that they basically served as each other’s assistant since the golf teams practiced at the same time and often played on the same courses for tournaments.
The arrangement continued until Neely retired in 2004 after the Lady Mustangs won the district tournament and he was named the district’s coach of the year. From 1998-2004, a Lady Mustang had earned the individual district championship as well.
“He had an amazing run,” Tackitt said. “He loved teaching golf. He had great rapport with kids. He had great rapport with the girls.”
When Tackitt needed an assistant coach, Neely volunteered for the 2012-13 school year, a role that was meant for only that one year. But Neely kept adding years until 2016, telling Tackitt he wanted to see the freshmen he started with in 2012 through their final season.
“Once he saw how hardworking those girls were, he fell in love with coaching,” Tackitt said. “He enjoyed teaching them everything he knew about the game.”
The program was rewarded for that, too. The 2015 Lady Mustangs broke just about every program record, finishing second at the district tournament and in the top six at the Class 5A Region IV tournament.
From 2012-2016, the Lady Mustangs team finished in the top three in 19 of 33 tournaments they played.
“Through those four years, I don’t know how many times they broke scoring records,” Tackitt said. “It’ll be tough to break those records. That’s a big percentage to medal in.”
While Neely enjoyed winning, Tackitt said what made him truly happy was teaching, whether it was on the golf course or in his high school science class. He loved watching students grow and flourish.
Neely was born June 1, 1944, in San Antonio and raised in Houston.
After graduating from Milby High School in 1962, he attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a degree in range science in 1967. He entered the Army and was a heavy equipment operator during the Vietnam War. He was wounded and earned the Purple Heart for dedication and bravery.
He met his wife, Pauline, on a golf course. The two were married in 1971. To fulfill his lifelong dream of being a cowboy, he and his wife moved to Spicewood so he could run Cherry Springs Ranch for the next two decades.
While he was ranching, he earned a Master of Education from Texas A&M University in 1983 and a teaching certificate in 1984.
Tackitt said it was a pleasure to work with Neely on staff but counted their friendship as more important.
Neely attended the golfers’ last practice before the Christmas break, even though he had stopped coaching after the 2015-16 school year. The retired coach and teacher joked with, encouraged, corrected, and taught the student-athletes, Tackitt noted.
After retiring from teaching in 2004, Neely returned to the classroom at Falls Career High School that same year and taught part time until 2018.
And while Neely was named the Falls Career High School Teacher of the Year for the 2010-2011 school year, and was proud of that, it never replaced the joy he got from watching student-athletes take what they learned and turn it into triumph.
“He was more concerned with kids’ success,” Tackitt repeated. “Even after retiring from coaching golf, if he saw someone on the driving range at the club that seemed to be struggling with their golf swing, he would offer his help. He just couldn’t help himself. He wanted them to get better and enjoy the game that he loved.”