When Dennis Stewart met with the parents of Leggett junior high and high school students Tuesday, most already knew the coach. It would be difficult to forget the run of success his teams had, as well as his impact on the community. The good news for the Pirates is that he’s back as athletic director and head coach.
Stewart said he was overwhelmed with the parent turnout during the meet-and-greet. It is the same role he left in 2019 after multiple district championships and an unforgettable run to the state tournament.
Starting in 2013, his first team reached the postseason and was ousted in the opening round. Following that, the school went on a five-year run of undefeated district play.
“In those five years, we were like 50-0 in district,” Stewart recalled. “In those five years in the playoffs, I think we were something like 14-5.”
So, what is it that brings the coach back to Leggett?
“It was an opportunity to go back to a place where you’ve been successful,” Stewart said. “Just the idea to go back and have an opportunity to be successful in a district that’s rich in talent and tradition. Just repairing some things that were broke. Whatever the reason may be, that’s not really important now. You’ve got to go in there and find out where everything was and just kind of start all over. You want to be able to take what you have and make what you want. So, it’s no excuses; you don’t look behind you. You just pick up the pieces and you move on.”
It is the 2018-19 season that many in Polk County will recall. Leggett finished 23-6 that year, picking up impressive wins along the way, like an overtime victory over Cleveland. They lost just one contest versus Class 1A competition. Eventual state champion Lipan ended their bracket run at San Antonio’s Alamodome in the state semifinals.
Stewart said the style of play for 2026-27 will be dictated by how quickly the student-athletes adapt to his system.
“Once they learn the system, then we can progress from there. You cannot play this game without pressure on the ball. It’s just as simple as that. Now, there are ways you can compensate for that. You had better be able to support and be in team-mode all the time. It’s just like working at a factory or any major company. It’s a team effort. We have to work together with everybody guarding the basketball. That’s the thing – the ball scores, the people don’t.”
Stewart hasn’t had much time to study film from last year, but plans to make time for that as they move forward. He was able to see glimpses of the team at tournaments and a bit in district play as the girls coach at Hull-Daisetta.
Upperclassmen will be relied upon for leadership early on. The Pirates had a system of leaders on the court during the coach’s previous stint in Leggett, and this time will be no different.
“Experience always helps. You can’t avoid the fact that you’ve got to have leadership. And right now, I think they have like two seniors and a junior. So, we’re going to start from there. And then, we’ve got to find a piece that’s going to make this thing work and make it fit. Our major objective, regardless of what the score is and what we do, is to play hard. We’ve got to leave it on the floor every night, and find that one that knows how to communicate with them and make sure they can lead them on the court. Whoever that person is, they’ve got to be an extension of the coach on the floor. We’re going to do this together, and it’s a sacrifice.”
Stewart described the welcome from Leggett ISD leaders as “exceptional.”
“No one could ask for anything better. Everybody was open-minded. They welcomed me back, and it just felt like everything fit. It felt like everything was in the right place, and it felt like going back home, and they made it like that. I compliment them on some of the things that they’ve done, improvement in the entire district from the school board to the superintendent, administration, all the way down to the fact that they have done some outstanding things to improve that school to make students want to go to Leggett High School.”
