His record is unmatched in school history and puts him in the top levels of Texas high school football according to www.texashighschoolfootballhistory.com
Kennedale is now 6-1, 4-0 in district play with three games left in the regular season. The current crop of Wildcats has their goal set on a district title before moving into the playoffs. In their mind, they are competing with last year’s team or the team before. These are the teams that they remember.
What they may not fully comprehend is that they are part of a winning heritage that dates back to 2001. Nor do they realize that they are being led in their quest by one of the winningest high school coaches still active in all of Texas.
11th in total wins …
Before the season began this year, Kennedale Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Richard Barrett was 54th on the list of all-time coaches in the State of Texas with the most wins both active and retired. Among active coaches, he was 12th on the list with 229 wins. The Wildcats have since added 6 more wins this season, giving him 235 wins and moving him to 50th overall and 11th among active coaches.
The best season with Kennedale came in 2017 when the team lost in the state championship game with an overall record of 14-2. Barrett has had 3 one-loss seasons at Kennedale and 5 seasons that ended with only 2 losses. He has never had a losing season during that time.
8th in overall district titles ….
Barrett has 14 district titles to his name putting him 8th on the state’s active list. He has won 9 straight district titles at Kennedale and 13 total that were won or shared in 20 years at Kennedale.
6th in total playoffs …
At Kennedale, Barrett-led teams have never missed the playoffs. Barrett is 6th among active coaches in total playoff appearances.
The Wildcats under his leadership have reached the regionals 10 times, the state quarterfinals 4 times, twice to the semi-finals, and once the finals.
Rolling up the points …
Under Barrett, Kennedale has made the list seven times for teams with the best game point averages in Texas football in a single season. His teams on the list include a 42.33-point average in 2013, 45.50 in 2003, 50.1 points in 2012, 52.37 in 2017, 52.47 in 2014, and 57.23 in 2015. The 2015 average placed Kennedale 12th on the list of all schools in Texas High School.
78% winning percentage (KHS) and looking for his 200th win.
Before Kennedale, Barrett was head coach at Godley High School for 6 years giving him a total of 26 years as a head coach. He is now working on his 27th season. His combined record at Godley and Kennedale stands at 235 wins, 90 losses, and 1 tie with a 23-14-0 playoff record at Godley and Kennedale for an overall 72% winning average.
At Kennedale including this season, Coach Barrett has an overall win-loss record of 199-56-0 for a 78% winning average. This makes him the winningest coach in Wildcat football history.
Background …
The Wildcats began football in 1956 under David Griff Hughes Jr. Coach Barrett is the 15th coach to serve at KHS. He has held the position longer than any other Kennedale football coach, now going on 21 years.
Up to Barrett’s hiring as head coach, Danny Yokeley held the record, serving for 10 years, starting in the 1981 season and ending in 1990. Yokeley served as one of Barrett’s most significant mentors as Barrett began his coaching career as an assistant coach with Yokeley and stayed with him when Yokeley moved to Everman as head coach of the Bulldogs. Barrett remained at Everman until 1995 when he accepted his first head coaching job at Godley.
Richard earned his loved of football as the son of Harold Barrett who had several head-coaching jobs around the state before finishing at Weatherford in 1978. The elder Barrett had a record of 124-99-7.
Expects the best effort on every play …
Barrett would not be called a warm and fuzzy “teddy bear” coach by those who play under him or coached with him. He expects the best and he demands that his teams come into each season in shape, ready to play and expecting to win. In turn, his players learn that discipline and (very) hard work payoffs. Conditioning is a byword. He holds himself to the same high standard in the process and has earned their continuing respect.
Kennedale has had a lot of success in recent years. Many good players, some all-state, many all-region, and many more all-district. Football is, of course, a team sport with victories and defeats shared by all including the coaching staff. Barrett remains the one common denominator in it all.
Plans for retirement – none.
What’s up next …
This week the Wildcats take on the FTW Carter-Riverside Eagles 2-5 overall, 1-3 in the district. They own wins over Trimble Tech 34-12 and Diamond Hill 32-14. The Wildcats will host the Eagles at Wildcat Stadium with game time set for 7 pm.
Last week Kennedale defeated Diamond Hill 63-0. Over the next two weeks, the Wildcats will wrap up district play and the regular season with games against Dunbar and Benbrook.
In the current standings, Kennedale and Benbrook have identical district records of 4-0 with Dunbar following at 3-1.
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