By AUDRYN LEE, Four Points News

It all started with 28 players in the weight room, a set of hallmarks and a coach determined to build a team worthy of being called a “state power.”

Football coach Drew Sanders began working at Vandegrift in 2009 when the school opened and the players had to practice at Cedar Park High. He has earned the nickname of the winningest coach in Viper history. Throughout his 17 years, Sanders built a state champion team, served as the president of the Texas High School Coaches Association and most recently was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. 

“My first thought was that it sounded pretty amazing, and my second thought was that I’m really thankful for it,” said Sanders about the NHSACA honor. “I thought about all the coaches I’ve coached with and all the players I’ve coached, and it was kind of overwhelming.”

The NHSACA works to provide resources and professional services for coaches, athletes and athletic directors while promoting high school athletics. They hosted a ceremony to recognize this year’s 39 coaches inducted into the hall of fame in Iowa City, Iowa, in June, which Sanders and his wife attended.

“My favorite part about coaching is the relationships with the kids, coaches and parents,” Sanders said. “The kids brighten my day, make me laugh, teach me stuff and keep me young. Then, the competition — there’s nothing like game planning and practicing all week, and then the thing that you wanted to happen happens, you win, and there’s a big crowd — there’s just no feeling like it.”

The THSCA nominated Sanders to represent Texas, where the national selection committee then accepted his nomination into the hall of fame. Sanders was nominated after being named the Football Coach of the Year in 2024.

“The feeling that we can compete with anybody in the state is a very humbling and inspiring thought,” said Sanders, who was born and raised in Mexia, Tex. about 150 northeast of Four Points. “Building Vandegrift to that definitely makes me really proud, and my time here has been magical. From the players to the parents to our principal, everyone makes it just an amazing school and community that has become part of me and part of my family.”

Under Sanders’ leadership, the team won the district title for eight consecutive years and nine overall in 16 seasons. He also led the team to the playoffs 14 times including the 2022 6A State Finals and the 2024 6A State Championship. 

“My family is so critical to my success,” Sanders said. “My wife, Janet, has been with me every step of the way. She understands that in season, we’re working seven days and 100 hours a week, and she understands that because she supports me and the difference I’m trying to make in young people’s lives.”
Sanders coached at several different high schools before applying to the job at Vandegrift. To fulfill his dream of becoming a state-recognized team, Sanders built the team on the hallmarks of discipline, effort, toughness and honor, “regardless of the talent level [they] had.”

“I think a lot of people would point to the state title as the most incredible event, because it’s a coach’s dream,” Sanders said. “It was definitely amazing, but there’ve been too many moments where we’ve won and nobody expected us to win, and each one moved us forward, so I don’t think there’s a singular most pivotal moment I could point to.”
Sanders’ high school coach, Paul Hurst, inspired him to look into coaching as a profession, and Sanders is now heading into the 31st year of his career. Some of his most memorable instances were beating Cedar Park for the first time, going undefeated in 2018 and beating Katy with a last-second field goal to go to state in 2022.
“Looking back on my career, I’m so happy I picked to be a coach because I’ve loved everything, especially getting to make a difference on young people’s lives on a daily basis and influencing somebody for literally the rest of their lives,” Sanders said. “That’s what drives me to be the best coach and role model I can be.”