Seguin Today: January 2025 by Seguin Today

The Legacy of Verne Lundquist the radio voice that started at TLU

Story by Chris Austin

Photos Courtesy Pfluger Architects & Texas Lutheran University

Hall of Fame broadcaster Verne Lundquist returned to his alma mater and the local air waves in Seguin this past fall.

Lundquist, a class of ‘62 Texas Lutheran alum, was back on campus on October 26th for the groundbreaking of a new athletic complex named after him. Shovels broke dirt for the Verne Lundquist Student Athletic Center prior to TLU’s homecoming football game against McMurry. At halftime of the game, Lundquist joined the broadcast of the game on KWED.

Lundquist was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2016. He spoke with KWED’s Chris Austin and TLU student-athlete Easton Allen and reminisced about his very first job in broadcasting at KWED.

“It all started here. The late Stan McKenzie was station manager at the time and I auditioned for a weekend job when I was a junior and I didn’t get it,” Recalls Lundquist. “And I said ‘well shoot’, probably stronger language than that. But I girded it up and went back my senior year and got the job. I was hired by Stan McKenzie and I was the weekend guy.”

Over sixty years later, Lundquist said he can still call to mind the details of his first job at KWED.

“I can vividly remember Sunday mornings. All I was doing was patching church services in. We’d go from the Catholic mass to the Episcopal to the

Methodist to the Baptist and finally to the Lutheran church.”

After graduating in 1962 from what was then Texas Lutheran College and leaving Seguin with a degree in Sociology, Lundquist enrolled at a seminary school in Illinois for a short time. He continued to work in broadcasting as a night time disc jockey for a local radio station. In 1963, Lundquist came back to Texas at KTBC-TV/Radio in Austin where he was a sports anchor. Three years later, he landed the job of sports director at WFAA-TV in Dallas.

While in Dallas in 1967, Lundquist became involved with Dallas Cowboys pre/post game and halftime radio broadcasts. He would become the lead play-by-play voice of the Cowboys in 1972 and stay in that position until 1984. During that time, Lundquist would also call college football, golf, bowling, boxing and soccer on television for ABC Sports.

Lundquist started a long time TV association with CBS Sports in 1982. He started calling football and basketball games. While at CBS along with a stint at Turner Sports in the 1990s, Lundquist would expand his role by calling NCAA Basketball Tournament, NBA and NFL games along with Olympic figure skating. In 1983, he would call the first of his career 40 Masters golf tournament broadcasts with CBS.

In 2000, Lundquist became the lead play-by-play announcer for the SEC on CBS. He would serve in that position until 2016.

Over the years, Lundquist has been involved with the Front Row fundraising gala series at TLU. It was while hosting the 20th annual Front Row gala in 2024, he said University President Dr. Debbie Cotrell told him and the audience of the plans for the new athletic complex.

“Dr. Cotrell stood up and said, ‘we are gonna build an athletic center. It’s gonna be in your name and I hope you bring all the memorabilia that you’ve accumulated’. So it’s all coming down here. After 62 years of doing this, there’s a lot of stuff,” Ludquist said about his mementos coming to the school’s athletic center.“I love this university, it’s meant so much to my wife (Nancy) and me. Debbie Cotrell and her husband, Alan are dear friends of ours.”

Lundquist has brought many of his colleagues to the Front Row series in the last 20 years. The annual fundraising event, which benefits the TLU athletic department, has featured guests such as Gary Danielson, Ben Crenshaw, Charles Barkley, Allie LaForce, Roger Staubach and Terry Bradshaw. Lundquist says the guest for this year’s gala is set.

“We’re doing Front Row again and we’re going for chapter two of golf announcer David Feherty. He was a guest of Front Row in 2007.”

Lundquist recalled Feherty’s first appearance at Front Row turned entertaining for those in attendance.

“He got a little off-color in the second half. So, I’m hoping people forgot that and we’ll keep him in check this time around.”

The 21st annual TLU Front Row Gala featuring David Feherty will be held at Marriott River Walk in San Antonio on April 11th.

Before he left the broadcast booth during his appearance on KWED at TLU’s homecoming, we asked Lundquist if he will reprise the film role he played as himself in the planned sequel of the popular Adam Sandler movie, “Happy Gilmore”.

“Yes sir,” Lundquist said in response to the film query. “I talked to Adam Sandler. We filmed the original in Vancouver, British Columbia. We’re doing this one at a country club in New Jersey.

“I’ve got the script. I’m told that they’ve invited Drew Carey and I’ve also heard, I’m going out of bounds here, but there are also rumors that Travis Kelce might have a role and if that means Taylor Swift will be there, I’m all in,” added Lundquist referencing Kelce’s pop star girlfriend.

The first “Happy Gilmore”, released in 1996, grossed over $41 million at the box office. “Happy Gilmore 2” will be released on Netflix sometime this summer.

It might not be that long after Lundquist is seen again in the movies that the Verne Lundquist Student Athletic Center could be complete on the TLU campus.

“I was stunned to learn they’re hoping to be in that building by August of 2025,” Lundquist said about learning of the complex’s expected completion. And he made a promise.

“I guarantee you we’ll be here if that happens.”

TLU Class of 1962 Verne Lundquist is a recipient of TLU’s Distinguished Alumnus Award. He is a previous member of the TLU Board of Regents. In addition to being a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Lundquist is also a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame and the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. He retired from broadcasting after the 2024 Masters tournament.

The new Lundquist Student Athletic Center will serve the university’s 19 sports teams. •

Spark of Igniting a Igniting JOY JOY

A challenge to seek happiness instead of resolutions in 2025

AColumn by Lizz Daniels

lmost two years ago, I picked up a hobby I hadn't participated in since high school - baton twirling. You may, or may not be familiar with what that is. It's a sport wherein a twirler aka a majorette spins a metal rod(s) while dancing and even performing some gymnastics. It requires a high degree of dexterity to do well, in addition to flexibility and stamina. It may look like a pretty dance, but baton twirling is quite a workout.

In the olden days, twirlers were a staple of high school marching bands, but when I graduated in 2003, they were pretty rare. Nowadays, they are almost non-existent save for a few schools that hold on to the tradition.

On a whim, I whipped out my ancient equipment bag, pulled out my beloved batons, and started spinning. I didn't have any music in that moment, just me and the flow of the movements and I realized something - I desperately missed this hobby which used to consume my entire world. I didn't know it then, but that moment started a new chapter for me.

At first, I felt self-conscious. I was a grown woman spinning a silly metal stick, hitting myself, causing bruises and pain for what reason? The answer, I realized, was simple. I was doing it because it was fun

I never choreographed anything when I started spinning again. I still don't. Instead, I turn on the music and let the movements take me from one trick to the next getting lost in the music and flow. When I find this flow state, my mind empties and the anxiety of everyday life ceases to exist for just a little while. It's meditation in motion, and it has a name - flow arts.

Back in High School I could never have imagined where twirling would take me, and that I’d finally get to check fire spinning off my bucket list.

Flow arts is a niche community of movement-based arts and performers that merge the manipulation of props with body movements. It includes dance, circus arts, martial arts, color guard, and much to my pleasure, twirling too. I found a creative outlet through this community that has been good for my mind and my body. It's carried me through personal struggles and helped me find new friends. I even spin fire now, which has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember.

When I look back on my start, today, I wonder what ever made me feel so self-conscious about picking my batons up in the first place. And I think the answer is just that adulthood makes us feel like we have to be serious adults all the time, and spoiler alert - that's not true.

Being an adult can also mean taking the time to embrace, or even heal, our inner child. For me, this came in the form of twirling and flow arts, but here in Seguin I recently learned there are other adults following their passions in the form of hip-hop dance.

Community member, and newly elected SISD school board president, Denise Crettinden, participates in the weekly class after taking her first adult class last year.

"My daughter was taking lessons at Second Story and there happened to be a class that was at the same time she had lessons - so it worked out," she told me. "I had friends in previous classes and I had talked to Amanda about it during Camp Broadway and it seemed like something to do with no expectations - just fun. That was a Jazz class and I loved how supportive all the women in that class were - we all had different levels of experience and ability and everyone helped out - videoing new steps we learned if you missed a class, giving encouragement to everyone- we had a blast. This year both my daughters are taking lessons and the adult classes on the same night were Hip Hop and Tap and though I am less sure of my Hip Hop ability - I decided to go for it and it’s fun!"

Denise's story was a bit like mine in that she took dance classes as a

kid and was in Gold Battalion. She also shared that she took ballroom and Irish dance lessons in college. Of course, hobbies aren't as easy as they once were for either of us. While I can still throw a lot of the tricks I did in high school, my body isn't nearly as bendy as it used to be. For Denise, it's more about remembering the steps.

"It’s not as easy to learn new steps as it was in high school and college," she said. "It definitely takes more practice at home. In the weeks before last year’s recital, you could often find me in my kitchen working on the routine over and over. Thankfully, other ladies in the class shared their tricks for remembering this or that and my daughter watched the dance and helped me break down steps that just were not clicking. This year in Hip Hop and Tap, some of the moves are completely new to me - so it’s a learning curve, but a fun one."

Also in the adult hip-hop class is local lawyer, James Reyes. James' passion for dance comes from his daughter, Leah, who has been dancing for twelve years. He participates in the weekly classes too after his wife, Julie signed him up.

"Here I am channeling my old break-dancing self," he said. "I’m not as loose as I used to be but stretching helps! It’s definitely fun. The music is great. Our choice of dance music takes many of us back to the 90s and early 2000s. The routine is a warm-up stretch, followed by building on our dance routine and then a cool-down stretch. It’s a fun time while exercising with great company."

James and Denise invite anyone curious about dancing as an adult to come down to Second Story Dance & Co. to check it out for themselves. It's a judgment-free environment where participants try to lift each other up.

As for me, I have a New Year's challenge for you, my dear reader. This time of year, it's the standard to set a resolution for self-improvement. I, however, challenge you to do something you love instead. Do something that brings you joy, for no other reason than it sparks happiness. If you do this, self-improvement will follow. •

Denise and James take a selfie with classmates during the adult hip hop class at Second Story Dance & Co.

JANUARY

Featured Events

Chamber 2025 Showcase Seguin: Wild West Business Round-Up

The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce will have its 2025 Showcase Seguin Wild West Business Round-Up from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13 at the Seguin Coliseum, located at 950 S. Austin St. in Seguin. Registration is required for all attendees. Register by Friday, Jan. 31 to avoid a $5 entry fee. For more information, call 830-379-6382.

January 14

Native Plant Society Guadalupe Chapter Meeting

Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Time: Social time and plant/seed exchange at 6:30 PM, program begins at 7:00 PM

To promote your event on this page contact advertising at 830-379-2234 or email communitycalendar@kwed1580.com

Location: First Presbyterian Church, 1121 E. Walnut Street, Seguin, Texas (Parking in the rear, enter from N. Moss Street)

The Guadalupe Chapter of the Native Plant Society invites the community to its monthly meeting. This month’s program will feature Jane Tillman from Austin, presenting via Zoom on the topic “Plants that are Good for Birds in Our Area.”

Meetings are open to the public, and visitors are welcome. For more information, visit https://npsot.org/wp/guadalupe/.

February 23

Mid-Texas Symphony

The Mid-Texas Symphony, with conductor, Akiko Fujimoto, will present Puttin On the Ritz, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23 at the Brauntex Theatre in New Braunfels. To purchase tickets, visit www.mtsymphony.org or call the box office 830-463-5353 For questions, email boxoffice@mtsymphony.org.

January 23

Guadalupe County Republican Women Meeting

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025

Time: Seated lunch at 11:30 AM

Location: Seguin Silver Center, 510 East Court Street, Seguin

Join the Guadalupe County Republican Women for their first meeting of the new year, featuring speaker Luke Macias, a Texas-based political consultant known for working with the most conservative public servants across the state.

Reservations for lunch can be made by contacting Glenda Partain at 830.391.3979 (call or text) or by emailing silvercenter@sbcglobal.net. Payment accepted by cash or check. For more information, visit https://www.guadalupecounty-rw.com.

February 27

Brown Cultural Event Series – Elizabeth

Smart

The TLU Jessie S. and Jack Harold Upton Brown Cultural Enrichment Fund will present Elizabeth Smart at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 at Jackson Auditorium on the campus of Texas Lutheran University. Elizabeth Smart is a victim of one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time and has become a beacon of hope and an advocate for change related to child abduction and recovery programs. Smart, now a bestselling author, will speak about her experience and recovery.

Fresh Take

On an old Favorite

ABloody Mary is a popular cocktail. Some rely on a Bloody Mary as a hangover cure, and others enjoy it as a treat with brunch. Some say the drink was named after a server, Mary, at The Bucket of Blood in Chicago, while others insist Queen Mary Tudor of England is its namesake. A Bloody Mary gets its “bloody” moniker from the vibrant red color of the tomato juice in the drink. Try this recipe, courtesy of “How to Drink Like a Writer: Recipes for the Cocktails and Libations that Inspired 100 Literary Greats” (Apollo Publishers) by Margaret Kaplan.

Raymond Carver’s “Heart Starter”

Bloody Mary (Serves 8)

4 cups tomato juice

1/2 cup dill pickle juice

1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 tablespoon grated horseradish

2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups vodka

Celery stalks for garnishing

Lemon wedges for garnishing

In a large pitcher, mix together tomato juice, pickle juice, lemon juice, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, celery seeds, and cayenne pepper. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight.

In the morning (or whenever it is you wake up), locate your phone, keys, dignity, and pants. Next, find the vodka (if you have any left), and pour it into the tomato juice mixture. Stir. Pour into a highball or collins glass filled with ice and garnish with celery, a lemon wedge, and a cocktail shrimp.

New year brings new leadership to Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office

Story by Darren Dunn

There’s a new top lawman in Guadalupe County. For the first time in 24 years, the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office is under new leadership. Joshua Ray was sworn-in as the new sheriff during a ceremony held New Year’s Day outside the sheriff’s office. Ray replaces Arnold Zwicke, who held the job for nearly a quarter of a century. Zwicke retired at the end of 2024.

Ray says he’s ready to get to work, but he began his ceremony by recognizing those who served before him.

“Not long after the annexation of Texas into the United States in March of 1846, the Texas Legislature established Guadalupe County from parts of Bexar County and Gonzales County. The first Guadalupe County sheriff was Milton Osborn. He entered into office in July of 1846. Since that time, there have been 27 men serve as sheriff in Guadalupe County. Some of them held office at different times, so there have been collectively 32 previous sheriffs. As of today, I am the 33rd,” said Ray.

Ray says it’s important to honor the past of the sheriff’s office as they move to this next chapter in its history.

“Knowing and recognizing our past, where we come from and what we represent is important. Of great significance to me, is that regardless of the person who has held office, your Sheriff’s Office has served the people of Guadalupe County for

over 178 years. It is important to recognize this, because this office is not representative of one man, or maybe someday one woman. It is the people’s Sheriff’s Office, and I, like my predecessors, are merely the holder of this office. It is both my duty and my obligation to represent the people of this county in the application of my duties according to their expectations, and no other, and I will live up to this obligation,” said Ray.

As the county’s chief law enforcement officer, Ray oversees a large organization, which includes the sheriff’s office, the county jail, courthouse security and animal control. Ray says they will continue to serve the people of this county in the best ways possible.

“So, what can you expect from me and our Sheriff’s Office in the immediate future? First off, you can expect that we will continue to serve

and protect you as we have for the last 178 years of our existence. Secondly, we will do so while holding ourselves to the highest of expectations and standards in our profession. There is no greater authority than that given to law enforcement by the people. On any given day, law enforcement officers around the state have the authority to take a person’s liberty from them. In the worst of circumstances, they may have to take a life. This is a significant responsibility. And to whom much is given, much is required,” said Ray.

Sheriff Ray says he wants to help make the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office one of the top law enforcement agencies in the state. He says they will continue to set a high standard of service across the department.

“From this point on, we will strive to be recognized by both the citizens we serve and our profession as one of the most professional and premier law enforcement agencies in the country. We will do so by increasing standards and expectations in every aspect of this office. We will embrace and implement best practices and procedures currently recognized in the law enforcement profession. We will enhance our capabilities with better tools, equipment and modern technology. We will invest in our employees by increasing training standards and developing them to not only serve you better, but to maybe one day (have them) lead this office,” said Ray.

Ray says as they work to make improvements, they will also stay true to the department’s core values. He says they will always remember who they serve.

“As we embrace this higher standard and improve our abilities and services to our county, it will not be forgotten where we come from and who we represent. Unlike other law enforcement agencies, the sheriff’s office is unique. We are the people’s law enforcement office. Our sole mission is to protect and serve the citizens and visitors of this county. We will do with compassion, empathy and professionalism. This is my promise to the employees of the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office. There’s no standard that I set for you that I do not hold for myself. I will lead by example. I will lead from the front. And I will lead this office with the character and dignity that all citizens should expect from their elected officials. This sheriff’s office under my leadership will be open, honest and transparent. We will strive for greatness, and we will accept responsibility for our shortcomings. I thank you all very much for this opportunity. It is truly one of the most significant moments of my lifetime. Now it’s time to get to work,” said Ray.

Ray served in the U.S. Marine Corps before starting his career in law enforcement. He spent years with the Texas Department of Public Safety, including years a Texas Ranger. He retired and became the chief deputy at the sheriff’s office. After winning the primary election in the spring of 2024, Ray ran unopposed during the November general election. Ray briefly left the sheriff’s office in the summer of 2024 and worked for the office of Guadalupe County Attorney Dave Wilborn. Ray will now serve as sheriff for the next four years. •