After 32 years of coaching basketball at Kingwood High School (26 as head coach), Royce Huseman has announced his departure from the school following the conclusion of the season. As a result, Kingwood will have a new head coach for the first time in over two decades to start the 2017-18 school year.
Monte Cole, a current assistant at Atascocita, was named the new coach at Kingwood on Friday. Humble ISD Athletic Director Troy Kite announced the hiring.
Cole has coached the Eagles’ junior varsity squad under head coach David Martinez since 2012. He has been a part of multiple state tournament runs at Atascocita in his five years with the program, but he now faces a new challenge in rebuilding a young Kingwood program that graduated all but two varsity players.
He is tasked with filling some big shoes, now at the helm of one of the state's most prestigious programs.
Huseman tallied 632 wins at Kingwood throughout his 26 years as coach. Earning him some recognition at the state tournament last season. Huseman's led Mustangs made three consecutive state championships from 2004-06.
Kingwood's lone state title came under Huseman in 2005.
However, Huseman is not retiring from coaching. He will head to Covenant Preparatory School in Kingwood, near Kingwood Park High School. The new facilities, ability to focus solely on basketball, and recruiting aspects as just some of the luxuries that lured Huseman to Covenant Prep.
For Kingwood fans, the territory is quite new. Many students and fans (myself included) have been attending Kingwood games for decades and have seen the familiar face of Huseman on the sideline for nearly every game.
Huseman is an icon at Kingwood, it is unclear as to what (if anything) the school or district will do to honor him, but there's no question as to if he deserves it or not.
The dates have not been set, but Cole’s Kingwood Mustangs will square off with his old program, Atascocita, twice in District 21-6A play next year.
