Chad Worrell had no intention of leaving El Campo.
But the opportunity to be closer to his family changed his mind.
Worrell has stepped down as athletic director and head football coach at El Campo and will become head football coach at Burleson, subject to approval at Tuesday’s board of trustees meeting.
“There was one reason and one reason only,” said Worrell, who announced his decision to El Campo players on Monday. “My family is all from this area. I have two grandchildren in Gunter and my daughter teaches there. My oldest granddaughter is in eighth grade and I watched a basketball game this year. I really wasn’t looking. Something like that happened and it’s back in the metroplex and it’s closer to family.”
Worrell has been at El Campo for two seasons and has a 20-5 record that has included two district championships.
The Ricebirds reached the Class 4A, Division I regional semifinals in 2021 and the area round last season.
“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in football,” he said. “I know we haven’t achieved the goals that someone set for themselves. There is no higher goal than we set as coaches and that is winning a national championship.
“Last year we did a run and this year. We came back from 0-2 to win a district championship. I thought we fought Kilgore (in the area round) hit by hit to the end there. We would have wished it had turned out differently.”
Worrell is also pleased with the progress of the entire athletic program.
“The girls’ program, I’m really proud of how it’s evolved over the past two years,” he said. “We have brought stability to all programs for girls. Clearly the boys’ basketball program has been on an historic run this year and our track program has grown in numbers.”
Worrell came to El Campo from Brock, where he began the athletic program in 2011.
Worrell led Brock to four district championships, three state semifinal appearances, two state final appearances, and the 2015 state championship.
Worrell was previously the head coach at San Angelo Grape Creek, Hamlin and Tom Bean. He was also an assistant to Celina.
El Campo has started posting the position on the district website.
Burleson went 3-7 last season and had a 3-4 record in District 5-5A, Division II.
Worrell is expected to start work at Burleson on Wednesday.
“El Campo has been a great community for us and has been really good to us,” Worrell said. “I really thought this would be the last station in my career. The importance of going back and getting closer to my other grandchildren really outweighed everything in the end.”
Mike Forman is Sports Editor for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or email [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @mikeforman21