Ken Purcell Wikipedia – Purcell, the famed Texas football coach, started his coaching career in Plano. Purcell has been actively involved in coaching for about 50 years. Purcell’s athletic path started throughout his high school years. He aspired to be a football player but realized he should pursue a coaching career instead. Ken said in an interview that he became aware of the change in level when he enrolled at the University of North Texas. Purcell accepted his first coaching position a few years after graduating and hasn’t looked back since. Ken’s two sons both became high school coaches, and in his latter years, he worked as an administrator in Denton.
Ken Purcell Wikipedia: Coaching Legend’s Age
Ken Purcell, the former football coach, is in his early seventies. Purcell has always been interested in sports, whether it is football or running tracks. Purcell started his career at Vega High School in Texas. Coach Purcell was a Vega High School basketball and track athlete. In an interview, Ken said that his high school football coach served as a father figure in his life.
Coach Ken grew up without his father nearby, and his coach had a significant effect on his life. Purcell said that he and his high school coach exchanged letters before he died. Following Vega, Purcell enrolled at the University of North Texas and played freshman ball. Even though he did not play college football, Purcell remained involved with the sports department and became a member of the strength department. Purcell was set to become an assistant track coach, but he had taken his first coaching position in Tahoka, Texas. He was designated offensive coordinator.
Purcell coached for a year before joining Plano. Ken began as a head freshmen coach at Plano and rose to the position of offensive backfield coach in 1976. A year later, Plano claimed the title. In 1982, he was named offensive coordinator at Plano, but he quickly moved for Allen. Purcell remained Allen’s head coach for the following 14 years. Following Allen, Ken joined the Denton administration. He was the athletic director at Denton ISD. Ken coached his team to 12 state titles and was named into the Texas High School Athletic Directors “Hall of Honour” in 2009.
Ken Purcell Family: Wife and Children
Ken Purcell has two boys with his wife, Theresa Purcell. Theresa has worked in teaching for 32 years, including a decade at Davis Elementary in Plano. The couple has two kids, Shannon and Shawn Purcell. Shawn Purcell, the couple’s oldest child, is 53 and followed in his father’s footsteps. He formerly served as Corsicana’s offensive coordinator. Shawn was on the Highland Park staff when the Scots won the state championship in 2005.
Shawn disclosed in an interview in 2008 that he was married to Mindy, and they had two children, Mason and Ashley. Shanon Purcell, Shawn’s younger brother, also won the state in 2005. He served as Highland Park’s wide receiver coach. Shannon graduated from Texas A&M and began his varsity coaching career in 1998 as the running and defensive backs coach at Richardson Pearce. He was Highland Park’s wide receivers coach from 1999 to 2005.
Shannon joined Wylie as offensive coordinator in 2006, but he resigned a few years later to become head coach of Vines High School’s freshmen squad. In 2011, he took over as defensive coordinator for Plano, following in his father’s footsteps.
