Former Lincoln trainer Klinger going into SETCA Hall of Honor

Published 2:07 pm Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Former Lincoln High athletic trainer Shawn Klinger and four others will be inducted into the Southeast Texas Coaches Association Hall of Honor during a banquet in January.

Klinger, a Montana native, was hired as a trainer at the Port Arthur school following graduation from Iowa State in 1992 and was a part of two athletic state championship teams, one in basketball and one in track. He left for Ozen and was part of one state title basketball team, then finished his career at Hardin-Jefferson, where he joined another championship basketball team.

Also being inducted are George Eskue, who won six private school state titles as Kelly football coach; former Kountze and West Brook football and track head coach Del Basinger; former Silsbee football coach Bobby McGallion and Michael “M.J.” Mitchell.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

The SETCA has also named coaches of the year for 2018. Honorees include West Brook’s Eric Peevey (football), Vidor’s Melissa Story (volleyball), Orangefield’s Stephanie Williams (girls cross country), Silsbee’s Joe Sigler (boys basketball), and West Brook’s Heath Gerlufsen (assistant coach of the year).

KBMT-TV sports director Lance Edwards is the Van Thomas Media Person of the Year.

The SETCA awards banquet will be held at noon Jan. 26 at the Holiday Inn off Walden Road in Beaumont.

About I.C. Murrell

I.C. Murrell was promoted to editor of The News, effective Oct. 14, 2019. He previously served as sports editor since August 2015 and has won or shared eight first-place awards from state newspaper associations and corporations. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up mostly in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

email author More by I.C.