A life of church, gym, & farming leads to a storied hoops career Meet local coach, Jeff Bell

A rural farm just outside of the small West Texas town of Dimmitt may not sound like the most conventional place for one of the winningest coaches in Texas high school basketballhistorytocomefrom,butthat’sexactlywhereJeff Bell found not only his passion for the game, but his drive to win,too.

“My dad was a farmer,” Bell said, adding that it was on that farmthathelearnedthemeaningofhardwork

“Wehadsevenplotsofland,”hesaid “Itwashardwork”

Bell had two older brothers, and he said it wasn’t until later thatherealizedtheyalwaysgavehimtheworstjobs

From changing the irrigation system around to being on a tractor all day, Bell said it instilled in him a work ethic like nothingelsecould

Healsorecalledthathisfatherwasveryparticular

“My dad was picky,” Bell said “You had to go up and down thoserowsjustright Ithinkthat’swhyI’mpickyonthings”

Farming, however, was not where Bell’s heart was Dimmitt in the ’60s and ’70s was known as a basketball powerhouse, andhesaidthat’swhenhefellinlovewiththegame

Bell fondly remembers his mother rebounding for him for hours on a homemade basketball goalhisfathermadefor him

“That’swhenIwasabout4,”hesaid “Ialwayslookedupto thoseolderguys.Iwenttoeverygame,andwenevermissed a game So that’s what made me want to play. We would workonthefarmalldayandthenheadtothegymandplay forthreetofourhours”

Hesaidlifeforhiminthosedayswaschurch,gymandfarm, andheaddedthathe’sproudofwherehegrewupbecause itallowedhimtoabsorbbasketball

“Back in those days, our big rival was Morton,” Bell said “In those days only one team made it to playoffs, and either Morton was ranked No. 1 or Dimmitt was ranked No. 1, so whoever won the playoffs would end up going to the state tournament”

He said Dimmitt had been to the state tournament more than any other team in Class 3A at the time, and the coach, KenCleveland,becameBell’shero

Cleveland also happened to be the first one to see coaching potential in a young Bell It was Cleveland’s encouragement and mentoring that started Bell on a storied hoops career that includes 953 career wins and four state championshipsalongwithaTexasCup

After graduating from high school in 1978, Bell started his college career at Lubbock Christian University, where he played basketball. LCU wasn’t a great fit, though, so Bell moved on to Abilene Christian University, where he focused onfinishinghisdegreeandbecomingacoachfulltime.

It was at ACU where Bell met and fell in love with his wife, Jennifer “Ijusttookonelookather,andIknew,”hesaid

“We had one date and never dated anyone else,” Jennifer Bell added. “We knew each other for one month and got engaged”

By that spring they were married, just in time for her husband’sgraduation

Comparedtofarming,Bellfoundcoachingtobeeasy,butit wasn’tbecauseofwhathelearnedincollege.

“When you go to college, you think they’re going to teach youhowtocoach,buttheydon’t,”hesaid

What he did know about coaching he learned back in high schoolbywatchingCleveland,Bellsaid.

“I really watched my high school coach a lot,” he said “His values were the same as mine He would always say, ‘Do what’sright.’Hewasmyhero.”

Cleveland was 57 when he died after being struck by lightning.

“IhatedwhenIbeathisrecord,”Bellsaid.“Ididn’twantto.I didn’twanttosurpasshislegacy.”

Lorenzo, Texas, was the next stop for the newly married coachandhiswife,butthatassistantcoachingpositiononly lastedayearbeforeBelltookajobinSmithvilleasthehead coachthere.

“Theseasonbefore,theyonlyhadsixwins,”Bellsaid

Under his guidance, Smithville reached the regional tournamentforthefirsttimeever,anditwasfromtherethat Bell’s legacy began to grow Making the playoffs, no matter wherehewent,becamethenormforhisteams.

BelleventuallylandedatBrock,wherehewonhisfirstClass 1A state title By the next year, Brock had grown to a Class 2Aschool,butthatdidn’tstophisteamfromclinchingbackto-backstatechampionships

Being successful propelled Bell to other districts, and he creditedhiswifewithbeingtherockthathelpedhimliveout hisbasketballdreams.

“Shewasalwayswillingtofollowmeandletmegettohave thisexperience,”Bellsaid.

Hiswifelaugheduponhearinghimsaythat

“I went,” she said, “but sometimes it was kicking and screaming.”

As an educator herself, and later an administrator, Jennifer Bell said it could be very hard at times to leave friends and go start over, but she did it even while raising three boys alongtheway

“Being a coach’s wife has a reputation,” she said, laughing “Coaches’ wives and preachers’ wives … they don’t have a name,andthey’reexpectedtosupporteverything”

After leaving Brock, the Bells found themselves east of Dallas, away from their sons and their families. It was during this time that Graford found itself without a head coach, andBellsawitastheopportunityofalifetime.

“Thisisa‘bucketlist’jobforme,”hesaid.“Thisistheclosest thingto‘Hoosiers’I’veeverseen Thecrowd,thefans,they’re somethingelse.”

“Coach Bell has brought home what this community has beenwantingsince1965,whichwasourfirsttasteofastate championshiprun,”schoolboardmemberJeffLemleysaidof Bell “Hehasbroughtthiscommunitytogetherlikewehaven’t seensinceCharlesHearne,andhewillalwaysbeabletocall

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Grafordhome.”

TwoofHearne’steamsplayedinthestatesemifinals.

“It’s an honor to have Coach Bell leading our young men on thebasketballflooraswellasmoldingtheirlivesinapositive way, ” said fellow school board member Travis Rogers, who also was a state qualifier under Hearne “His style of basketball is exactly what ex-players like me think of when we think of Graford basketball, which follows a very close pathtoCoachHearne,whoweholddeartoourhearts.”

When asked about his coaching style, Bell replied, “I coach by feel I thrive on pressure I love the playoffs I love that feelingwheneverythingcounts.”

Hesaidhereallydoesn’tdrawupplays,either.

“I see what’s happening and how we need to adjust,” Bell said.

A big part of Bell’s style is his relationship with his players. Jarod Westmoreland is Bell’s assistant coach, and he said whatmakesBellsospecialishisinnateabilitytomotivatehis players

Said Bell: “Every player is different, and you have to know howtomotivateeachonedifferently.”

“There aren’t many coaches left in the whole country that arelikehim,”saidGrafordjuniorBradLemley.“Coachwould push us past our limit every single day during practice in order to get as close as possible to guaranteeing victory every time we stepped on the court, even if that meant he hadtohurtsomefeelings”

Practice is critical, Bell said, adding that his practices are hardbecausehewantsthegamestofeeleasyafterthat.

“Besides the success we ’ ve had the past two years, the biggest impact is how passionate Coach Bell is with practice,” Westmoreland said “I always enjoyed coaching duringpractice,butwatchinghimfiredupduringpracticeis unmatched.”

Added Lemley: “Every time we entered the gym (during practice or on the players’ own time), we were on a mission He had the whole team convinced we could accomplish anythingthroughhardwork”

Bell said his Graford players love the game, and they’re willingtoworkhardtobesuccessful

“These boys will be in the gym on their own time for hours,” he said. “Not because I ask them to, but because they want to”

Afterwinningthestatetournamentlastseason,Belllostfour starterstograduation,andmanywonderedaboutGraford’s chances for back-to-back championships, but Bell said he neverhadanydoubt

Added senior Colin Roberts: “Coach gave us spring break off,andthenhetextedandwantedtoknowifwewantedto doitagain”

Bell said what he sees in players is potential, and there are someplayersonrivalsquadsthathewatchesandthinks,“I’d liketohavethatkidonmyteam”Butheaddedthatknowing how to motivate the young men he has is what makes leadersonthecourt

“Weweredownbysevenatonepointinthestatefinal,”Bell said,“andoneofmyplayerscameuptomeandsaid,‘We’re going to win’ These kids here, I can’t describe how good theyareandwhattheymeantome.”

“This team this year did everything by the book,” he added. “I never had to worry about them doing dumb stuff When you have players who are coaches, you ’ ve got a team that’s special”

With four returning starters, Bell said he’s excited about whatliesaheadforhissquadnextseason.

“He is truly greatness and dedication personified,” Lemley said. “As players, we all love and respect him for all that he hasdoneforus”

Whenaskedifhehasanyplanstoretire,Bellreplied,“When Ilosethatfire,I’llknowit’stimetomoveon.Ilookforwardto practice It’sjustanindescribablefeeling”

Bell said he still receives at least 10 text messages a day from former players, and he added that he makes it his missiontoreachouttoatleastoneformerplayeraday.

Bell’s wife, meanwhile, is hoping for retirement at some point.

“We’ve only ever been on two vacations,” Jennifer Bell said “There’s spring league, fall league, TABC camps There’s alwayssomething.”

As far as the community of Graford is concerned, though, Bellhasajobforlife

“TobeinmyshoesthelastcoupleofyearswatchingCoach Bell has been special,” Westmoreland said “He is an unbelievablebasketballcoachandmanoffaith.”