SPEAKER_01 0:00

Coach Tate Lombard is currently the head girls basketball coach and girls athletic coordinator at Canyon High School. Before Canyon, he was an assistant at Crawford and Stephenville. He was also the head coach at Christoville for one year and then Wall for eight years. While at Wall, Coach Lombard won the 2014 and 2016 state championship while also making a trip to the state tournament in 2019. After the 2019 season, he left Wall to return home to Canyon. He was an assistant to his father and coaching legend Joe Lombard for one year before becoming the head coach after the retirement of the 19-time state champion coach. Since then, he has led the Lady Eagles to a state championship in 2021, which was his first year as the head coach, and a state finalist appearance in 2024. So far, he has won 434 games. Prior to coaching, Tate attended Midwestern State University, where he played basketball from 2002 to 2006. He and his wife Paige have been married 13 years and have two children, Jones and Hollis. His mom, Babs, was also a state champion coach along with his father Joe. Between his mom, dad, sister, and himself, Coach Lombard's family has won 24 state championships. Coach, thanks for being on the podcast. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

Hey, thanks, Tom. Glad to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:33

Yeah. Um, so this is something I've asked every coach um that I've had on so far. And I'm gonna ask you, other than the Alamo Dome, what's some of your favorite gyms that you've coached in?

SPEAKER_00 1:44

Yeah, yeah. Probably the first one would be uh uh I guess in 2014 we got to play in the last year of the drum. So that was really cool to get to, you know, from from growing up, going to all those games and seeing state tournaments there to get to coach there was probably the coolest, coolest thing, especially being the last year that it was there. So I thought that was really cool. Um, you know, there's there there's a lot of cool places up here in the pain handle. Uh uh Pampa's McNeely field house is a cool old gym. I know you've been there. It's it gets kind of raucous and it's old and you know, red brick everywhere. Um, you know, our our gym at Canyon is really neat, you know, for what it is, and you know, it's it holds a lot of people, but it's a really cool uh pit type venue. You know, it's underground, it's really neat. Uh man, we got to play in in a Midland College a lot of years for the uh regional tournament, and and that was always fun. You get those small towns that they just pack it, and it's you know, a lot of cool games to get to do that when I was at Wall. So, you know, there's there's there's there's so many cool ones, you know. I for me I always go to the old ones just because I like those though with with all the history and tradition.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

All right. I asked Eric Schilling at Nazareth this question, and I'm gonna ask you too. Um obviously, you know, you're you're a panhandle guy, so what's your favorite thing about about living in the panhandle?

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Yeah, it's probably the weather, right? No, yeah, right. That's what everybody says. It's probably not the weather. Um no, it's it's it's uh it's uh probably the people. You know, you know, we we have such great people up here, and and and growing up here, I got I didn't know any different. You know, I just kind of grew up in Canyon and and stayed here you know as long as I could and then and and ventured out and went to different places and met a lot of cool people, you know, at different stops I was at. And but but really it's it's it's really the people. Uh the it's it's it's a big sports area, like like they love their high school sports. And you know, it's especially in the Amarilla area, Canyon area, you know, it's covered like college teams up here. And so it's a really cool thing to do that, but especially girls basketball. It's always been a big girls' basketball place. So so I guess growing up in Canyon, you know, with with Canyon being big, NAS being big, and all those other, you know, small towns around, like it was always a dream of mine to probably come up and coach back up here somewhere.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

So what Eric said was, you know, when when there's a good team in the panhandle, even more than one good team, you know, he can feel the not just the the support from his own school and community, but he can feel the support from the entire panhandle. Do you feel that as well with your teams?

SPEAKER_00 4:10

Oh yeah, yeah, without question. And most of the good teams, we all play each other, so we know each other well. NAS this year, panhandle, you know, winning state. You know, it was it was a lot of fun to kind of follow those teams.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

All right. So getting into kind of some of the questions I sent you, um, I hope you agree with this because this is my perspective of you. Um, but you've had an incredible success as a head coach. Um, and with that success often comes pressure and high expectations. Even during intense games and demanding practices, you always seem to stay composed and in control of your emotions. How are you able to maintain that level of composure? And how important do you think it is for a coach to model that for their team?

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Yeah, I yeah, I I think it's really important. Like, like it it uh fits my demeanor. I I would say that's you know, like I think that's important for any coaches to kind of coach the the way that you are, not to try to be fake or be somebody else. And and and I'm I'm not a real screamer. I feel like I'm I'm positive most of the time. Um so it so it really kind of fits me. Um whenever I'm coaching in games, I I want my players to be under control. So if I'm over there losing control, you know, on the sideline with officials or or whatever, I think it sets a bad example for my players. So I've always tried to do that.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

So let's let's talk about scouting a little bit. As a coach, one of our biggest responsibilities is to make sure our players are as prepared as possible for each opponent. Um, whether that's watching film, building scouting reports, creating game plans, whatever it may be. Um, but when you're scouting an opponent, you know, what are some of the main things that you focus on?

SPEAKER_00 5:44

You know, you know, if if it's a team we're gonna play a lot, like a district team, you know, where there's we get to see you know eight to ten films on them, you know, we we feel like we're gonna have a pretty good idea of what they're gonna do. But but the first thing I always try to see, and it's probably from from kind kind it's probably from taking a defensive mindset is I want to see the actions that they're running, the offenses, you know, their the the key players and and how they score, are they scoring out their actions or is it off a you know transition or different things like that, and then pick out you know the best way to try to take something away. You know, if they're a a middle pick and roll team that we want to be sure that we're working on that kind of stuff daily, you know, pr you know, um I'm trying to get ready for that. And and and so like with us, the thing that I think helps us a lot is is our athletic periods in the middle of the day. So so during the season, we really get two workouts a a day. So we get to kind of break that up where we're not spending 30 minutes on a scout. It's it's maybe five minutes of practice. And so the the uh um attention of the kids, you know, stays there better than if we're trying to go over their stuff too much. And so we get to kind of break it up, and I feel like that really helps us. Um this this last couple years, I've started to use more film. I I really never showed my kids a ton of film just because I didn't want them to either um underestimate the opponent or or underestimate them. And so, but but try to clip up some things just to see them. I I think our kids like to see what the opponent's gonna look like, you know. And so we we we've really started doing that the last few years too.

SPEAKER_01 7:12

So do you show that um is that is that kind of a one-time thing, or do you show it each day, just a few clips each day of different things each day, or how do you go about that?

SPEAKER_00 7:21

Yeah, yeah, most of the time it's it's either the uh day before or even the day of. We might show them about a five-minute segment of just, hey, here's two or three things that they do. Um, just try to keep it really simple. Like I said, we're not trying to get them to study them or any of that like that kind of stuff, which with Huddle, you know, some kids will get on there and watch films on their own, but but for the most part, I try just to keep it real simple. Like, and and and really by by you know, game day, we we've already gone over their main stuff, you know, twice probably. So at least they've seen it on the court, then they see it on film, and I think you know, I think that helps. We we we always give them a scout report for for district games through the playoffs, and so that's kind of the third thing that we do. So it's you know it's on court, walk-through stuff, it's you know, film for maybe five minutes and then a scout report of all their you know, personnel and and things like that.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

So does the amount of detail um or preparation change depending on your team's experience level, your team's skill, um, their basketball IQ or their overall skill set? How does do you do the same thing every year, or does it kind of depend on the team what you decide to do?

SPEAKER_00 8:26

Yeah, yeah, it it probably stays the same. Like the way that we, you know, may guard something may change depending on on our ability or what we do. But as far as like the preparation is gonna be the same, you know. So like I g if if it's a team that can handle two or three different things that we could do to to to affect the game, then then then we're we're probably gonna spend time doing that. If it's a team that can only do one thing, we're gonna try to keep it really simple uh and and and just kind of you know go go with that.

SPEAKER_01 8:56

So you've obviously coached some great players um that have moved on to play at the collegiate level, um whether it be at Wall or Canyon. Um what are some habits that those players have all had and what should coaches do to instill those habits in their players?

SPEAKER_00 9:11

Yeah, I I think the first one is that you know, you know, college basketball's a job. It's not it's not easy. And, you know, it's it's one of those things that that that a lot of people want to play in college, but when they get there, they're like, oh my gosh, this is so different than my high school team or something like that. So, you know, the ones that make it true, you know, love the game. I think that's the number one thing. They love it. It's it's what they want to do, and and they're gonna work hard at it. You know, if if it's a kid that just is talented, then they may not make it, you know, and that's always things that that you always see. And so, you know, the kids that they want to spend time working on their their game, getting better, uh, you know, and truly love it are the ones that are probably gonna make the most out of it. But because it's tough, you know, college basketball's hard, especially now. Like you gotta, you know, you you the the first school you go to might not be that your your dream school, but you gotta find a way to get in. And so it might be, you know, you you may have to go somewhere else, get some experience, and then and then you get seen by it by a different program that that that can add you on.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

So you mentioned at the start, you you know, one of the main, if not the most important habit or or um characteristic is that they love the game. So is there anything that a coach can do to make a kid love the game? And you know, it's always that hard thing of yeah, you I can't make you want it. You know, I can't want it more than you. How do you make kids love the game?

SPEAKER_00 10:33

Yeah, I think that's a I think that's a great question. I think you should keep that one on the on the you know, on the list. I'd be you know, wanting to know what everybody else thinks. You know, it's one of those things that that I always loved it. So it's hard whenever you, you know, have someone that that doesn't. It's like you know, I'm like, man, this is fun. Are you kidding me? Like this is awesome. And so but but but but I think for a coach, it's just to you know, to make the environment, you know, very fun, but also, you know, have standards and and and and make sure that's important, you know, like like the kids here I you know I think want to play because it's a big deal. And so we try to make our our girls' basketball program a big deal and and and and and really have success every year probably because of that, because kids want to come in and they have high standards, and and I think when they have that, it means more to them. And so then they have the opportunity to play at a good place, but also they've they've kind of been coached in a way that I think is going to prepare them for the next level. And so when they get there, it's maybe not as big of a jump as they think.

SPEAKER_01 11:30

A lot of people, when then I ask that, a lot of people say, you know, you have to start them young, whether it be basketball camps when they're in elementary, make your camps, you know, in the summer fun, make them want to keep coming back, make them want to when they leave, continue to continue to do other things with the sport. Um and a lot of people say the junior high as well is is big. Um so just kind of talk about your your assistant coaches and what their roles are um when it comes to to your program.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Oh, for sure. You know, you know, the the camps, camps and junior high programs are kind of the lifeblood of your program. You know, it's hard to get a kid in ninth grade and expect them to be successful, you know, at you know, anywhere. And so it's for us, you know, camps are a way to kind of um identify kids in our town and see who who loves it, who's playing a lot. And then whenever they get to junior high, you know, that's that's something dad always taught me was like, hey, you know, the the junior high is probably the most important the most important program that you have because you want to develop those kids early, you want to make them like the game, you want to have fun, enjoy it. And and and we really have great coaches in our junior high program. You know, Sunny's been one that she's been here for a long time as our you know, our our coordinator, but but she played college basketball at WT. You know, she could go be a head coach if she wanted to somewhere. She's that talented, and but but but she's she's coached the best players to come through Canyon for the last 15 years or more. And so, and and really a lot of our success is from her. They're supportive and they're helping and the kids you know, like them. And it's it's those things that that that that they really buy into the program and really add a ton of value, you know, for us.

SPEAKER_01 13:04

All right. So you mentioned your dad, and um, it's probably a topic or question you you've you've mentioned a thousand times, talked about a thousand times. Um, I think at this point, um, if it were me, and I'm sure you feel the same way, because I know you guys, but um I would feel honored to talk about it. And so let's talk about your dad for just a second. Um, he's the most successful high school girls coach in in the country um ever. Um, you know, inducted into all these Hall of Fames and well known across across the entire country. Um, so let's just talk about that first. Do you feel any pressure because of the success of your dad?

SPEAKER_00 13:40

Uh probably, but it's but it but but it it really didn't um you know it really didn't change my decision to be a coach. It's something I wanted to do. And so, you know, both both of my parents were coaches. My sister was a highly successful player in college, and so I always felt like I was kind of having to prove myself either as a player because my sister was a stud, or as a coach because my my parents were very successful. And so it was one of those things that I feel like I had a good setup to really become a good coach because I had a good background in it and I was raised in it. And I I got to see the best coach, you know, growing up, you know, in in uh in my mind. And then so um to learn that um and and then go off and play in college and kind of get other mentors that way and then coach different you know areas. I I learned a lot from a lot of people, but but dad's always probably been my my my number one mentor as far as the basketball side. And you know, he still helps us out today. He's 73 years old, I guess, and still he can't leave the gym. He loves it, you know. And he he'll uh come in to to practice and be like, Man, did you watch that game last night? And I'm thinking it's like Duke, North Carolina. It's like I watched like middle Tennessee State versus Colgate, and they're in this cool offense. I mean, he's he's just that guy. And so it's really cool to see and to learn a lot from. And and and and uh he he he still still loves uh you know helping kids. And so like like the players in our program, I I don't know if they realize like how successful he is, you know, because they're you know six years removed from when he was the head coach. But it's one of those things that just gives us so much value for our staff and our players to have him around and to help. But but but no, it's it's always been something, you know, that's that's that's probably been asked to me, but it it really doesn't I I won't say add pressure, but it just kind of makes it to work to where I want to be successful to to to kind of honor the last name a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

You know, I I got a chance to obviously work at Canyon and and talk to your dad and and uh one of the well two of the coolest things, one is he's an incredible human. Um and that that's something everybody always says about him for him to have the success that he had and and still be an incredible person and and pour into other coaches and and kids and things like that is awesome. But another thing I always thought was cool was I saw him at a at a not necessarily a clinic, but a coaching um mini clinic, maybe that we that was um having it up in the panhandle. And he was in the front row taking notes just like just like I was as a 22-year-old kid. You know, he's the the most successful coach of all time, and and he's also taking notes. So that that um work ethic of you're never too old to learn anything. Um and obviously, like you said, he's he's watching college games and and seeing new offenses and and stuff like that. So that was something I I took away from him as well. Um, you know, being around him for the short time that I that I was.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

Um Yeah, yeah, and he'll you know, he'll watch a JV game and go go ask the opposing coach how they, you know, that the baseline play that they ran. I mean, he he's he he's just like you know, wants to learn and wants to study the game and and kind of figure it out. You know, it's one of those things that he's he he's always been like that, and that's really cool to see.

SPEAKER_01 16:53

So when you took over at Canyon, um when you stepped into the role and and took over, you know, he was there for so long, he had won so many state championships, when you took over for him after he retired, did the fact that it was him add another level of pressure? Because the tradition already around Canyon girls basketball is there's a lot of pressure. I mean, there's expectations and there's standards. So did that, the fact that it was your dad and the fact that he was so successful, did that add to the pressure of the Canyon basketball program?

SPEAKER_00 17:22

Yeah, yeah, not really. It was one of those things where I, you know, I guess being at Wall, whenever whenever I took over for Jeremy Williams, like it was a really successful program. They've been to state many years and and and and really I got there at a great time. There, there was a lot of good young kids coming, and and we were you know very successful. So that was kind of you know my first problem. I I felt a lot of pressure there when I first that was my first big head coaching job. I'm taking over this, you know, top ranked 2A318 that's that that that's always been good. And I felt a lot of pressure there to really you know succeed. And so I guess I guess whenever that went well, it kind of gave me confidence going to the next thing. And so, you know, it was one of those when whenever I you know was was was starting to kind of you know look a little bit or just kind of see it was you know, you kind of compare Kenya with other jobs, you know, for for me it felt different because I grew up here and dad was here and that kind of thing. But if you just look at hey, this job versus this job, which one's a better job? Like I don't know if anybody would turn down the Kenya job. You know, it was one of those things. And so um the the thing that probably made it a little a little bit easier is I got to go be his assistant for a year. And so I wasn't coming in from him stepping down to me just coming in brand new. I got to, you know, learn the systems of of of the school and the campus, and I got to to coach the kids and I got to see those things. So I think that helped a lot that I that I was able to kind of be there for a year before taking over. And so I, you know, the the first year we had everybody back and we won state, and that was you know remarkable. So it really worked out. It if if I took over and we probably lost 15 games, it probably wouldn't be the same way. But you know, it kind of worked out well, and so and we've had real you know good teams since then too that have been right there, real close. And so, but but no, it's you know, I guess growing here, I always put pressure on myself to be to be you know successful. And so the you know, it's it's more for me from like the pride of of growing up seeing this program that I don't want it to fall because I'm here, because I've lived it my whole life. You know, when I was coaching other places, Canyon was like my second team. And you know, it was it was one of those kinds of things. So I knew the kids growing up. I knew when I was coaching different places, I still knew those kids because I worked camps and was around them a lot. And so, you know, I I I had so many ties here that that that whenever the the opportunity came, I just like, man, we have to do this. Like this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

SPEAKER_01 19:49

Yeah, right. So um you you kind of hit on wall there in in the transition to Canyon. So talk about, you know, Wall obviously is um was when you were there and still is, you know, a successful at the time when you got there it was probably 2A and now it's 3A. Um one of the most successful girls programs in that classification. So talk about the the change from 2 and 3A up to 4A and 5A. You know, Canyon is pushing 5A at times. Um talk about the change in the game, the players, the the uh preparation, all that stuff from a small classification up to now a large classification.

SPEAKER_00 20:24

Yeah, it's it's it's really not a huge jump, you know, as much as you think. And I guess because when I was at Wall, we played a lot of big schools. And so we we played Canyon three times when I was at Wall. So I got to see, you know, really good teams. You know, they're probably a a uh a larger depth of of players, like like the top players a little bit probably better. The they're probably more athletic, maybe a little bigger at times, but but really man, when I was at Wall, like like 3A Region 1 was loaded. And so we got to play really good teams every year, and and our path to state or whatever it was was always really tough. And so, you know, the the uh the level of coaching in basketball is was the same, you know, as far as I you know can see. Now, whenever you start playing the the Duncanvilles and some of those guys that we've played, like that's a different kind of kid sometimes. But but really the the the the small school basketball coaches are as good as anybody. And so, you know, I got to coach against you know a lot of great coaches when I was at 3A, and so and there's a lot that are 4A coaches that are great coaches, and and so you know, Eric at at NAS is one of the best coaches in the state, and you know, and he'll probably never leave and win it every year, but it's one of those things that you know you get to see it all at different levels. So it really wasn't a huge jump in my mind.

SPEAKER_01 21:41

All right. So kind of the the last thing that I try to do every episode um is that last question. I I try to shout out the family or the the team behind the team, the team behind the coach, um specifically coaches' wives when it's when it's guys that I'm talking to. Um so trying to be a successful coach can be hard while also trying to be a present father and husband, late nights, early mornings, road tournaments, Saturday morning practices, you know, the list goes on and on. So what do you do to maintain a healthy work-life balance, to be as successful as you are as a coach, yet still be present at home with your wife and your kids?

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Yeah. Yeah. It's probably the hardest thing you do as a coach is is you always feel like you're letting one side down a little bit, whether it's your team because you're not preparing enough or it's your family because you're not present. You know, so I think that I think that's the biggest challenge for coaches that want to be successful is is really to you know find ways to make it work. And so you know like for us, my wife and kids come to everything. And so if we're playing they're coming. If if it's a practice they'll show up halfway there sometimes and my kids will run to the gym and my players lose focus for about five minutes. You know, it's it's those kinds of things. But they're just kind of used to to to us being around. That's that's that's probably the biggest key to that is probably to to involve your family as much as you can because they're highly invested in it. They want us to do well because it's it's a big part of our lives you know and so um my kids ride the bus home half the time you know my wife you know brings the kids the the the players over all the time to our house to do things and so we just try to make it work. And then um the thing that I never wanted to do was like be at the gym all the time you know and not be around my family. So it's like if I'm watching film I'm trying to do it when when my kids are doing other stuff or like like for me I'm kind of a night owl so I do a lot of work at night when they go to bed. So I'm not staying up at the gym watching film. I try to do it from the house.

SPEAKER_01 23:43

That's really pretty much all that I have we just talked about spending time with family so I want you to be able to do that. Yeah. But thanks for thanks for taking time out of your evening. It's always fun to root for the Lady Eagles. I love rooting for you guys and and watching what what the boys do as well. There's still that senior group next year is kind of my that was my first group they were seventh graders.

SPEAKER_00 24:04

So they they've been fun to watch and keep up with so um yeah it's good yeah it's been cool here you know with you know loved love working with Travis you know all those years and and so you know whenever he stepped down for Kyle to come in and and kind of take it over Kyle's an old friend of mine I played played with his brother and and then now I've have Matt there. So we got a lot of canyon guys back home. So that's kind of a cool you know fun environment to coach in with some people you know this town means a lot a lot too and and grew up here it's kind of neat to to to try to find ways to to help it continue to be successful. We talk about the panhandle all the time.

SPEAKER_01 24:41

So um it's always it's kind of our second home. Thanks for being on um people want to hear from you you're a you're a a big name in the coaching world um just because of you you know I know we talked about your dad a lot but you're people probably don't tell you enough you're you're a name that that um deserves its recognition on its own because you're what you've accomplished as a coach too. So um if nobody tells you then then here I am telling you that you you got to take some pride in it.

SPEAKER_00 25:07

They're handing out service pens. I'm almost on year 20 so I'm like God I can't believe I've been coaching for 20 years. I feel like I'm just starting so no it's a great profession you know it's a lot of fun and so I I hope I get to keep coaching for a while here and and and and try to to help kids out and and help teams win.