Recently named Spring ISD Athletic Director Derrell Oliver, who was selected as the top candidate for the position following a nationwide search, welcomed members of the community to the Randall Reed Center at Planet Ford Stadium last week for a celebratory meet-and-greet event.

The event brought together old friends and colleagues, family members, Spring ISD coaches, staff and other guests to congratulate Oliver, wish him all the best in his new role, and mark his historic appointment as the district’s first African American director of athletics.

“This is family coming together to celebrate one of our own,” Superintendent Dr. Lupita Hinojosa said during her remarks, describing the search for a new director last summer. “At the end of the day, they gave me two finalists that I needed to interview, and one of those was Coach Oliver. His experience, his knowledge, his record, his professionalism, his education and his skill were all top-notch and beat out all others.”

Hinojosa said the appointment of Oliver, who served as assistant director in Athletics for about two years before being named interim director, marked a new beginning in Spring ISD, as the district continues pursuing the goals of its strategic plan, including developing future leaders and providing excellent, equitable outcomes for all students.

Spring ISD trustees came out to formally congratulate Oliver and make remarks in support of his hiring, including Board President Justine Durant, Vice President Winford Adams Jr., Dr. Deborah Jensen and Secretary Kelly P. Hodges, who said that meeting Oliver brought back memories of her own time as a student.

“When I met Coach Oliver, he really reminded me of the coaches and the educators I had coming up as a student-athlete,” Hodges said. “I knew that Spring had made the right choice when we selected him as the athletic director, because our kids, they need the guidance and support. The coaches need the leadership – they need someone they can trust, they need someone they can learn from. And as you can see, we definitely have that in Coach Oliver.”

Middle school and high school coaches from throughout the district were also in attendance, including head football coaches Anthony Williams, from Dekaney High School; Antonio Singleton, from Spring High School; and Matt Meekins, from Westfield High School. Each spoke briefly about the new director, welcoming him to the role and thanking him for his thoughtful and strategic approach.

Singleton said he appreciated Oliver’s ability to gently deliver even challenging guidance from a place of compassion and putting students’ needs first.

“I really believe, in my heart of hearts, Dr. Hinojosa, that you and the school board got the right guy,” Singleton said. “With Coach Oliver, he’s someone I can always call on for advice, and he gives me sound advice. Sometimes I don’t want to listen to it! But it’s sound advice, and it comes from the right place. He’s a man that stands on what he says.”

Oliver boasts two decades of experience in education and athletics, including roles as varied as Head Football Coach, Assistant Principal, Head Track and Cross Country Coach, Head Golf Coach, Assistant Head Baseball Coach, and Athletic Director. 

But what many may not know about Oliver is that he started his career in the engineering field – after attending Prairie View A&M University as both a football player and an engineering scholarship student – going on to stints at two titans of Houston industry — NASA and Hewlett Packard.

Longtime Oliver family friend Phyllis Watson Moses – who over the years has witnessed Oliver’s coaching prowess as well as his NASA engineer’s brain at work – said she believed he was poised and prepared to make a real difference in the lives of district students.

“I think Derrell’s one of those intellectuals, who needs a challenge and likes problem-solving,” Watson Moses said. “He’s very sensitive to people and their needs, and seems to just really enjoy working with young people, so I was really happy to hear that he got the position.”

Oliver thanked his family – especially his wife Patricia – and all those who came out to the event, and said how excited he was to be beginning a new chapter for his own life and Spring ISD.

“I’m really blessed,” Oliver said, “and I’m excited about what I see happening for our kids.”