By JOHN D. BOYLE, Four Points News

Drew Sanders, head coach of Vandegrift High School’s football program and the school’s athletic coordinator, recently earned the title of Central Texas Football Coach of the Year—a prestigious accolade highlighting his remarkable leadership and the Vandegrift football team’s monumental achievements. For Sanders, however, the recognition is more than a personal milestone; it is a testament to the culture of excellence, resilience, and unity he has cultivated since the program’s inception.

A Journey of Purpose, Faith and Dedication

Sanders’ journey at Vandegrift began in 2009 when he was tasked with building the football program from scratch. Operating out of a modest auxiliary weight room with only a handful of first year students, Sanders instilled core values that would define the program: discipline, effort, toughness, and honor. “When we started, it was just me and that first group of young men,” Sanders recalled. “We worked hard, brick by brick, to build something special. Those early days created a chip on our shoulder, a drive to prove ourselves.”

Among those foundational players was Dakota Prukop, the team’s first quarterback and one of the program’s inaugural captains. Prukop, who graduated in 2012, was instrumental in setting the tone for Vandegrift football. He led by example, embodying the values Sanders sought to instill. “Coach Sanders is receiving well-deserved recognition this year after winning State, but he has earned this acclaim over many years,” Prukop said in a recent interview. “He remains the greatest mentor in my life, both on and off the field, outside of my father. He’s the kind of coach who makes you want to be better, not just as a player but as a person.”

Prukop’s contributions to Vandegrift’s fledgling program extended beyond his leadership. As a team captain, he helped the team secure its first playoff victory, fulfilling Sanders’ bold promise that the inaugural group of players would earn a gold ball before they graduated. Despite playing under numerous coaches at the collegiate and professional levels, Prukop continues to credit Sanders as the most influential figure in his athletic journey. “One of the most impressive things about Coach Sanders is how he cares more about the person than the player. Of course, he has developed incredible football players year after year, but his focus has always been on building men of character. He applies the four hallmarks of discipline, effort, toughness, and honor not just to football but to our everyday lives,” said Prukop.

Sanders fondly remembers those early challenges, especially being relegated to the auxiliary weight room—a smaller, less equipped space at Cedar Park High School where the Vandegrift program was temporarily housed. “The Timberwolves had the big weight room, so we got the auxiliary room,” Sanders laughed. “It wasn’t much, but it was ours. That setup gave us the chip on our shoulder. It made us scrappy and hungry to prove ourselves.” The modest beginnings in that room, with its bare essentials, became symbolic of the grit and determination that would define the VHS program.

One of Sanders’ most vivid memories from that first year came when he walked into a room of 120 athletes at Cedar Park to meet the initial group of just 30 players who would become the cornerstone of the Vandegrift football program. “It was kind of intimidating,” Sanders said. “The Cedar Park Timberwolves were already a powerhouse program, and here I was, this new coach with a new program. I walked into the room, and the name ‘Vandegrift’ started being whispered. You could feel the energy, the tension. It was a moment where I knew this was the beginning of building something big.”

Despite the uphill battle, Sanders made his famous gold ball guarantee (symbolizing Vandy’s first playoff victory). “I told the team, ‘You’re not just here to build something for the future. We’re going to win, and we’re going to win now,’” Sanders said. True to his word, Vandegrift secured its first playoff victory, earning their gold ball, before that inaugural class graduated. “That win was a turning point,” Sanders said. “It validated everything we had been working toward.”

This foundational philosophy has paid dividends. In 2022, Sanders led Vandegrift to its first 6A state championship final which Vandegrift lost to a talented DeSoto team. Winning in 2024 was a feat not only for VHS but for the entire Leander Independent School District, as it marked their first-ever state football title in Texas’s highest classification. “Winning a 6A title in Texas football is like winning the Super Bowl. It’s the pinnacle of competition,” Sanders said.

Building a Culture of Trust, Respect and Excellence

Central to Sanders’ success is his emphasis on hiring great people. “I look for individuals who love working with students and are winners,” he explained. By surrounding himself with a passionate and dedicated staff, Sanders ensures that every student-athlete—whether in football, tennis, swimming, or other sports—is supported and inspired.

For his Vandy football team, Sanders’ hallmarks of discipline, effort, toughness, and honor are more than slogans, they are guiding principles. The emphasis on “honor,” in particular, stands out. “In today’s social media-driven world, it’s hard for young people to understand that it’s not about ‘me’—it’s about ‘we,’” Sanders said. “But when our players embrace that mindset, it’s transformative.” Honor, as Sanders explains, is about prioritizing the team over oneself—a concept that challenges the “me-first” mentality reinforced by social media. “It’s a culture shock for many of our young people, but it’s something they need to learn. Life isn’t just about individual achievements; it’s about how we contribute to something greater than ourselves.

This focus on the collective is deeply intertwined with Sanders’ personal faith, which plays a quiet but powerful role in his coaching philosophy. “Faith is about believing in something bigger than yourself,” Sanders said. “That’s the foundation of selflessness and teamwork.” At Vandegrift, this ethos is reflected in small but meaningful traditions, such as allowing players to express their faith together before games. “Whether they’re praying, reflecting, or just finding a moment of calm, I encourage them to connect with something beyond themselves together as brothers before the battle,” Sanders said. “It’s not about what their faith journey looks like; it’s about knowing there’s a bigger purpose at play.”

A critical element of Sanders’ program is the trust he has built with parents. “A good program isn’t just about winning—it’s about doing what’s right for the athlete, the young adult, and the team,” Sanders said. Parents trust that Sanders and his staff prioritize each athlete’s well-being, development, and character. “We want every parent to know that their child is in good hands, not just as a player but as a person,” Sanders explained. This trust creates a strong foundation for the program, allowing coaches to make decisions that benefit both individual athletes and the team.

The Meaning of the Central Texas Coach of the Year Award

The Central Texas Football Coach of the Year award is a significant honor in the landscape of Texas high school sports, a field synonymous with tradition, passion, and community pride. The award is voted on by a panel of Central Texas sports writers, coaches, and administrators, making it a recognition by peers and experts who understand the level of excellence required to earn it. Past recipients include some of the most celebrated coaches in the region, individuals whose programs consistently set the standard for success.

For Sanders, this recognition stands out as a career milestone. “I don’t achieve this without incredible players, an amazing coaching staff, support from our principal, Charlie Little, and a community that believes in what we’re doing,” he said. “This award is a reflection of all of us.”

Sanders’ humility shines through even in humorous moments. “One time, I won the Bush’s Chicken Coach of the Year award,” he quipped, “and it came with a free snack pack at Bush’s Chicken. I thought that was cool. This award doesn’t come with fried chicken, but it means a whole lot more!”

The significance of the recognition was amplified after Vandegrift’s State Championship victory. Sanders’ mobile phone nearly broke under the weight of well-wishes. “I received almost 800 text messages,” Sanders recalled. “I had to ask Siri to help me find the hidden ones! The outpouring of support was overwhelming and reminded me why I do this.”

A Legacy Etched in Stone

Sixteen years after walking into that auxiliary weight room, Sanders’ program stands as a powerhouse in Texas high school football, a symbol of what’s possible with vision and perseverance. Reflecting on the journey, Sanders shared an anecdote about a small sign he placed in the trophy case when Vandegrift moved to 6A: “Reserved for a 6A State Championship.” The sign remained for years, serving as a daily reminder of Vandy’s football program’s ultimate goal. “When we finally put that trophy in its rightful place, it was a culmination of everyone’s efforts and dreams,” he said.

As Sanders looks to the future, his focus remains on the “brick by brick” mentality that brought Vandegrift to this point. His message to his players, past and present, resonates deeply: “It’s not about me. It’s about our entire community, past, present and future.”

Adam Scott, a captain of the 2024 State Championship team and a member of Vandy’s Class of 2025, reflected, “Coach Sanders holds every Viper he coaches to a high standard, but what truly inspires us to meet those expectations is that he holds himself to an even higher one. When he asks us to show up early, there’s no question he’ll already be there an hour before us. When we stay late after practice, he’s always the last one to leave. He doesn’t see himself as too important to clean up the locker room or help with laundry. He doesn’t just talk about being a great leader, he lives it, every single day I’ve been around him.” Scott concluded, “What Coach Sanders has taught us will stick with us for the rest of our lives. He has truly impacted all of us in a very significant and lasting way.”

For Drew Sanders and the Vipers, that ethos continues to be the foundation of greatness. And while the community would happily celebrate more broken phones from future state titles, the greatest championship is the daily blessing of having Drew Sanders as a guiding light for Vandegrift.