Lake Travis Football Coaching & Support Staff

Coach Carter took over the program in January of 2010 for long time mentor Chad Morris, Offensive Coordinator at Clemson University. Before coming to Lake Travis, Carter was the Defensive Coordinator at Stephenville High School, where he coached from 2003-2007. The Yellow Jackets amassed a 33-5 record while Carter was the DC in Stephenville, including a State Semi-Final appearance in 2005. Coach Carter was in Bay City prior to that from 2000-2002, where the Black Cats made 2 consecutive State Final appearances, and winning the 4A Division I State Championship in 2000. In 1999, Coach Carter’s first job was at his alma mater at Eustace High School.

Coach Carter is currently hard at work leading Lake Travis in its bid for a Texas High School Football record 5th consecutive Texas 4A State Title. He and his wife Stacy, have one son (Jason, 2 years) and one daughter (Madison, 5 months).

Randall began his career in Abilene where he coached for 9 years, coaching at Franklin junior high and Abilene High. He spent 18 years at Stephenville, where he was a part of 4 State championships. His teams in Stephenville made the playoffs 17 of 18 years. The past two years have been at Lake Travis, which has won back to back State Championships.

Coach Edwards and his wife Kay Ann have 3 children: Courtney and her husband John, Amy Kay and her husband Matt, and son Eric who plays linebacker for Abilene Christian University.

Before coming to Lake Travis in the spring of 2008, Coach Spano coached the Offensive Line at Stephenville High School (2004-2007) compiling a record of 43-6. Prior to Stephenville he coached the Offensive Line at Fort Bend Kempner High School and Brazos High School.

Kyle and his wife Kim have 4 children and 1 grand child: Kasey(25), Kody(21), Kylie (20), Koy(12) and Tatum (5).

Prior to coaching at Permian, he was a 9th grade coach at Bonham Jr. High in Odessa, and Travis Middle School in Temple, TX. Coach Lambert played college football at Angelo State University, and was a Captain of the 2002 team. He graduated high school from Ganado, TX.

Jarrett and his wife Amber have 1 child: Kyler (1).

Coach Halfmann came to Lake Travis from Del Valle High School where he was the head football coach for the 2004 season and the defensive coordinator 2001-2003.

From 1994-2000, Coach Halfmann was an assistant coach at Lake Travis High School. Prior to Lake Travis, he coached in Mexia and San Angelo.

Kevin and his wife Bertha have 4 children: Camille(10), Kaleb(8), Joelle(6), & Andis(2).

Coach Oakes being involved with education for 31 years and coaching for 23 years in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. He graduated from University of New Mexico where he played 4 years of football. He was selected All-Conference and had the privilege of being selected to play in the East-West All Star game.

Coach Oakes has been blessed with 4 beautiful daughters, Leslie, Michelle Faye, Carrie, Nicole; 3 great son-in-laws, Chris, Clay, Brandon; and 9 wonderful grandchildren, Megan, Jeremy, Joshua, Ashlynn, Emily, Courtney, Occy Jack, Norah and Rylee.

Before coming to Lake Travis, Coach Priem coached in Athens, Texas for 4 years. He was at the middle school for one year before moving up to the high school where they reached the 3A state playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Coach Priem also coaches the JV 1 baseball team that won the district championship last year.

Ryan is married to his high school sweetheart, Ashley, and they have one daughter, Addison (15 months), and two dogs, Hitch and Harley.

Coach Luedecke played Safety and Linebacker at Stephen F. Austin, earning All-Conference honor both junior and senior year and All-American honors his senior year.

Ryan is engaged to Keegan Davis.

Jonathan enjoys playing golf, mountain biking, hiking, and rollerblading. At home, he likes to spend time with his two Jack Russell terriers, Max and Valerie.

Coach Coplin came to LT from Stephenville where he coached 9th football and aided Coach Carter and the Yellowjacket defense to a 13-1 record and a State Semi-Final appearance in 2005. In 2006 & 2007, the Yellowjackets compiled a record of 20-4 and made two more quarterfinal appearances in the playoffs.

Prior to Stephenville, in 2004 Coach Coplin was the Head Football Coach at Parkers Chapel HS in El Dorado, Arkansas. From 1998-2003, Coach Coplin was an assistant for North Crowley HS in Fort Worth, where they won the 4A Division I State Championship in 2003.

Robbie and his wife Marla have 2 girls and 2 boys: Lillie(6), RJ(4), Lanie(2), & Raiden(newborn).

Thrash, spent 2009 as the defensive backs coach at Stony Point High School. The team finished 13-2 as district champs and state-semifinalist. The defense for the Tigers gave up 13 points a game and where ranked #1 in 5A through the majority of the season. The Tigers secondary was ranked #3 by 5A Texas Football. The secondary compiled a total of 26 pass break-ups and 15 interceptions. During his tenure he coached two division I players (TCU and Texas Tech), one all state selection, one THSCA Academic All-State Honorable Mention selection, district 16-5A MVP, and three all district selections.

Before that, he helped open Rockwall-Heath High School. He coached at Rockwall-Heath for 3 years (2006-2009), handling the defensive backs and offensive line the first two seasons and then serving as the linebackers coach the final season. The last season he was there the Hawks went 13-1 and where district champs & regional finalist. The team had 8 players sign division I. During his final season with the Hawks he coached three division I linebackers (Houston, Arkansas, and Kentucky), one all state selection, and three all district selections.

Thrash began his coaching career in 2005 at Kaufman High School. In 2005 the Lions finished 10-1 and won a district championship & where area finalist. At Kaufman Thrash coached the corners. During his tenure at Kaufman the secondary gave up a total of five touchdowns. He had two all district selections and one corner sign division I (North Texas).

Thrash played college football at Tarleton State University (2000-2005). Thrash played cornerback for the Texans. While he was at Tarleton the Texans won three conference championships and played in three national playoff games. He received his bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sport Studies from Tarleton State University in 2004 and his master's degree in Education Administration from Tarleton State University in 2008. He is currently continuing his post graduate work through University of Texas at Tyler.

Coach Dillon began his teaching and coaching career at the Francis Parker School in San Diego, CA, and came to LTHS last year from Dripping Springs, where he coached football, soccer, and golf. Ian and his wife, Jennifer, have a four-year-old son, Aidan.

Coach Rayos came to LT from Bay City where he was a varsity coach for 21 years. In 2000, he help Coach Chad Morris win a state championship. Coach Rayos has also been part of state finalist teams in 1998, 2001 and 2003.

Robert and his wife Maria have 3 children: Xavier (21), Marisa (18) and Robert-Lee (12).

His high school baseball coaching record is 526-364. He received his Master's Degree from North Texas State University and Bachelor's Degree from Dallas Baptist University where he was on a baseball scholarship.

Prior to coming to Lake Travis he was the Head Baseball coach/assistant football at Austin Crockett High School, Austin Anderson High School, Lee Junior College (head baseball), Sugarland Dulles High School and Irving MacArthur High School and a graduate assistant at Dallas Baptist University. Over the course of his career his baseball teams have been in the playoffs 23 times and he has had 168 of his former players receive college scholarships and play college baseball.

He has a 5A State Baseball Championship to his credit from Sugarland Dulles and he currently serves as President of the Austin Area Baseball Coaches Association and the 25-4A baseball district representative.

He has been married to his wife, Liz, for 35 years and they have two grown children, both of whom are also in the coaching/teaching profession.

His son, Ryan Kinnan, coaches varsity baseball and sub varsity football at Irving High School. Ryan has a four year old daughter, Addisyn Page.

His daughter, Claire Harvey, coaches at Lake Travis Middle School and son-in-law, Andy Harvey, teaches at Hudson Bend Middle School. Claire and Andy have a two year old daughter Savannah Grace.

Ashley came to LT from Livingston HS where she was the athletic trainer for 1 year. Ashley is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University where she was a 4-year letter award member.

Ashley and her husband Jeff have 1 child: Brighton (7months).

Brandy started his career as the Head Athletic Trainer at Ozona High School where he was there for 3 years. Brandy graduated college from McMurry University in Abilene, TX, in 1994.

Brandy and his wife Maribel have 3 children: Aspen (14), Autumn (12), & Copeland (9).

Coach Dinkins has been married for 35 years to Diane and they have 4 grown daughters.

Prior to working at Lake Travis, Coach Eilers attended Angelo State University graduating in 2001 with a degree in Kinesiology and History. Soon after graduation he moved to the Austin area and began working for Lake Travis Middle School. Coach Eilers is married to Heather, who is a graduate of Lake Travis.

Mike began his coaching career 25 years ago at Copperas Cove Junior High. He came to Lake Travis from San Marcos, Texas where he spent 7 years coaching defensive ends at San Marcos High School along with being the Head Baseball Coach. His baseball team made two playoff appearances while at San Marcos High School going as far as the Area round.

Prior to moving to San Marcos, Mike was the Head Baseball Coach at Odessa High School for 4 years where he also assisted on both sides of the football for the Bronchos. Coach Montgomery began his Head Baseball coaching career at Borger High School in Borger, Texas where they made the playoffs 5 out of 6 years and assisted in the football program on both offensive and defense.

Before moving to Borger, Mike served as the Assistant Baseball Coach and Middle School football coach in Snyder, Texas. Coach Montgomery has spent the last 3 summers as the Pitching Coach and Head Coach of the Lake Erie Monarchs of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League.

Coach Montgomery and his wife Benita, have two sons, Matthew (24) a Fireman/EMT with North Hays Fire Dept, and Nick (21) who pitches for Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Coach Ochoa is a graduate of New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Physical Education while playing football for the Cowboys.

Coach Ochoa began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Lovington High School from 1997-2002, where he helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back State Championships in 2000 & 2001. Coach Ochoa and his family relocated to Kansas City, Missouri from 2003-2009. While in Kansas City, Coach Ochoa coached football and track at Park Hill South High School.

Coach Ochoa and his wife Lisa have two children: Marisa (sophomore at LTHS) & Sammy (6th at HBMS).

Coach Payne came to LT from Mineral Wells Junior High in Mineral Wells Texas, where he coached for two years. Prior to Mineral Wells Coach Payne attended Texas State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography in 2005.

Dustin has been married to his loving wife Abigail for over a year, and is looking forward to another great year at Lake Travis.

Eric came to LT from college at Texas State University. He has been part of the two previous undefeated 16-0 4A Division I State Championship teams in 2008 & 2009.

Coach Taylor is a graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma University in Durant, Oklahoma, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and Master’s degree in Education while playing football for the Savages.

He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater 1991-1992, and joined the Lake Travis athletic program in 1993.

Coach Taylor and his wife Nicole are parents of two sons, Ryan (6) & Payton (4).

Prior to coaching at Hudson Bend, Coach Yamasaki was an airline pilot. He also served as in officer in the United States Air Force.

Coach Yamasaki has one child: Rian is 5 years old