Texas State Senator Royce West has selected DeSoto ISD Athletic Director and DHS Football Head Coach Claude Mathis to receive the Outstanding Texan Award for Senatorial District 23 during the Texas Legislative Black Caucus (TxLBC) Legislative Summit.
The Outstanding Texan Awards are given during the TxLBC Legislative Summit to honor leaders, advocates, and trailblazers in each senatorial district. Each TxLBC Member may nominate constituents for the Outstanding Texan Award that will be awarded in-person during the 50th Anniversary Gala on Monday, April 3rd.
The award is bestowed upon an individual for service and commitment to the citizenry of Texas and residents of the respective district that selects them. Coach Mathis was selected because of his demonstrated unwavering tenacity and visionary leadership in educating, uplifting, revitalizing, and empowering the young men of Senatorial district 23, alums, and community through his stellar coaching.
Mathis has led DeSoto Football since 2019, his second stint as DeSoto head coach. In 2022, he secured his first State Championship title as a coach. In college, he was a four-year letter winner at Texas State as a starting running back for the Bobcat football team from 1994-1997. Mathis was the Southland Conference all-time leading rusher and was named All-Conference and All-American all four years of his Texas State football career. Texas State also awarded him the title of Offensive Player of the year in 1996 and 1997. He was inducted into the Texas State Hall of Honor in 2011.
At DeSoto, Mathis has been much more than a football coach. His support of the student athletes includes development of tutorial programs to ensure their grades make them competitive for the college of their choice. Aside from coaching, Mathis volunteers in the DeSoto Food Pantry food drives, the DeSoto Eagle Olympics, charity events, and mentors students throughout the community through local churches.
“This is another well-deserved honor bestowed upon Coach Mathis,” enthused DeSoto ISD Superintendent Usamah Rodgers. “He and his staff keep their part of the ‘Triple A’ experience (Academics, Arts, Athletics) at DeSoto ISD in tip top condition. It’s delightful to see him continue to soar!”
For more information about the TxLBC Anniversary Gala visit TxLBC.org.
About the TXLBC: The Texas Legislative Black Caucus is an organization that is comprised of all of the African-American lawmakers in Texas. The purpose of the organization is to bring the law-makers together so that we can work as a group to make sure that the needs of our community, at-large, get met. The Texas Legislative Black Caucus was formed in 1973 and consisted of eight members. These founding members were: Rep. Anthony Hall (Houston), Rep. Mickey Leland (Houston), Rep. Senfronia Thompson (Houston), Rep. Craig Washington (Houston), Rep. Sam Hudson (Dallas), Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (Dallas), Rep. Paul Ragsdale (Dallas), and Rep. G.J. Sutton (San Antonio). The TLBC is currently composed of 17 Members of the Texas House of Representatives and two Senators of the Texas Senate committed to addressing the issues African Americans face across the State of Texas.