Reporter: Ellie Mahan
October 27, 2022
The Hill County Wolves, a new 501(c)(3) Christian organization, will provide sports opportunities to local children who are part of a home-school program or a school that doesn’t have its own sports teams.
The nonprofit plans to offer junior high and high school teams for six-man football, basketball, baseball, softball, track, powerlifting and volleyball.
Jason Knight, athletic director of the Hill County Wolves, has four years of experience with leading sports teams.
When his oldest son, who is home-schooled, expressed interest in playing football, Knight helped him get involved in the Johnson County Sports Association.
Knight then started as a conditioning coach with JCSA in 2018, where he later became the football commissioner, defensive coordinator for the varsity Lions and head coach for the junior high Lions in 2019. In 2020, he took on the roles of athletic director, head football coach and a coach for girls’ basketball and baseball.
While he was growing up in Whitney, Knight played football, basketball, baseball and track. Knight has always wanted to be a coach, and he said that mentoring children comes naturally to him. He said, “It felt like coaching was what I was supposed to do.”
His favorite part of coaching is seeing the light in kids’ eyes when they achieve something.
“When you see a junior high kid who scores their first goal or makes their first tackle, it is just amazing,” he said.
Knight said that the Hill County Wolves will make having fun and building character a priority.
As a Christian organization, The nonprofit will hold devotionals after practice and will strive to supply children with kind and courteous adult role models.
A veteran who served in the Marines for nine years, Knight believes in the values of honor, courage and commitment.
“I just want to make sure kids don’t miss out on an opportunity to play sports,” Knight said.
Keeping in mind that sports can be a gateway to higher education scholarships for some students, he hopes that the nonprofit will help students go on to earn scholarships.
The Hill County Wolves will play under The Texas Association of Independent Athletic Organizations (TAIAO), which Knight said is the third largest six-man football conference in the state.
Sign-ups for the Hill County Wolves are now available for children who do not have access to their desired sport through their current education program.
To sign up, call or text Knight at 254-266-0702 or email athleticdirector@hill countywolves.org.
The athletic director also has some coaching volunteer opportunities available. Applicants must pass a background check. Those interested can get in touch with him with the contact information provided above.
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