Photo by Chad Wilson Players and head coach Jeremy Durham rush the court to celebrate following the final buzzer of the state championship game .
‘ It ’ s an honor ’
From BHS grad to state champion , Durham reflects on the journey
By Kinsey Durham
When BISD opened its current high school Jeremy Durham was a senior basketball player for the Bears who had the opportunity to be one of the first athletes to play in the new gym . While the gym may not be so new anymore , the BHS alum has his fingerprints on another new addition to the school – a state championship banner in the very gym he once played in .
“ I grew up like most kids in Brownsboro . I played in little dribblers , little league baseball , flag football , my dad coached me , and my mom would run fundraisers and work concession stands ,” he said . “ Pretty much our whole life revolved around whatever game I was involved in , going to Brownsboro games and church . It was a great place to grow up , and a great place to be raised . I ’ m very proud of being from Brownsboro .”
Durham grew up in Brownsboro , and was in the graduating class of 1989 . After graduating from BHS , Durham went to Jacksonville Baptist College to play college basketball and pursue a career
Photo by Maria Olivares
In celebrating the district championship , coach Jeremy Durham cuts down the net inside the Brownsboro gym as part of a senior night celebration .
in coaching . He married Lisa is 1991 and they then moved to Nacogdoches to attend Stephen F . Austin and finish off their degrees .
“ I wanted to play as long as I could play , and I was fortunate enough to play a little college basketball ,” he said . “ However , at a young age I realized both my parents are short , and I knew I would top out below six feet . I knew my playing time was going to be somewhat limited . From then on , my plan was to play as long as I could , and then start coaching .”
Durham ’ s coaching career has spanned six schools and began in 1994 at Little Elm . After seven years as a Lobo he wanted to come back to East Texas and coached at Cayuga from 2001-2002 before leading Harmony from 2002-2004 .
From 2004-2009 he led the Pine Tree
28