Frank Fox has been around fairways, sand traps and greens for decades and will now have the opportunity to put that knowledge to use in Polk County. In his 10th year of education after spending time at Humble and New Caney, he has been hired as Livingston’s new head golf coach.
“I've been around the game for about 44 years,” Fox said during an interview in DeWalt Field House. “I started playing when I was young and worked in the business as an assistant. I played professionally – unsuccessfully for the most part, or I'd still probably be doing it.”
Fox has also taught and coached at youth clinics and made several stops though country clubs, working as an assistant and instructional coach. The coach said he has spent plenty of time in Livingston and is excited to now work in the area.
“The golf program, I know we had two state qualifiers, with one finishing top five, the other one (Maddie Akers) top 40. I'm excited that she's going to be back as a senior and hopefully we can do even better than this year. The goal is to win the district and go to state and compete.”
Fox will also be a specialist coach in football, working with punters, kickers, holders and snappers.
“It's one of those areas that's oftentimes overlooked,” Fox said his work on special teams. “But, not here. I kicked in high school, my son was a punter and a kicker and a holder in high school, and we spent a lot of time around the Kohl’s Kicking Camps and traveled. I've been doing it quite a few years and am excited about it.”
Fox will take over the golfing portion from Frank Brister, who made the decision to retire. Brister said he thought of hanging up the whistle earlier, but the opportunity to coach talented athletes was too much to pass up.
“I'm not a young puppy, you know. I've been doing this for 36 years. It worked out really good for us. It’s the first time the girls had qualified to get out of district since 2002.”
Brister taught world geography during his 18 years at Livingston. Before Polk County, he was at Cushing, Coldspring and Alto. As an athlete in high school, his football team won state at Brownwood under legendary high school coach Gordon Wood in the 1970s. He later walked on the Ole Miss track team as a thrower in discus, javelin and the shot put.
“I enjoyed working there,” he said of Livingston. “I enjoyed working with the people that were there. I had a great enjoyment with the kids. The kids, the main thing was I wanted them to have just a great passion to go out and play the game.
“I only graduated one kid out of the top five (golfers), so everybody's coming back except for Brayden (Akers), which he's a real good one. But, Maddie's (Akers) coming back on the girl's side, and she's going to be really good next year.”
