Speakers Style II

LISTEN TO THE Keynote Speakers

Ralph Cooper transformed himself into the quintessential “Soldier Without Sword,” through a five-decade career as one of Texas’ most dependable sports journalist, reporter, writer and broadcaster. The high volume and quality of his work is surpassed only by a few, if any at all.

Donald “Ray” Crockett

Duncanville High School

Donald “Ray” Crockett

Duncanville High School

Donald “Ray” Crockett was the epitome of stability and consistency throughout his stellar 14-year dominant career. He played in 214 games, was a 13-year starter and a team captain for the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. His superior play helped the Detroit Lions earn its only playoff win and a trip to the NFC Championship game and helped the Denver Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowl Championships (XXXII, XXXIII).

Darren Oliver

Texas Rangers

Darren Oliver

Texas Rangers

Darren Oliver stood up strong and tall as a durable and steadily effective second-generation major league baseball pitcher for 21 solid years, serving nine different teams, including a Texas Rangers organization he helped make it consecutive World Series in 2010 and 2011.

LISTEN TO THE Event Speakers

Ralph Cooper

Houston Radio

Ralph Cooper

Houston Radio

Earl Thomas

Coaching

Earl Thomas

Coaching

Earl Thompson was a highly revered trailblazing youth league football coach, mostly in the Dallas area communities, who earned a prominent reputation of helping groom several notable great athletes in their early life stages before they reached their high school and college ranks.

Michael Irvin

Dallas Cowboys

Michael Irvin

Dallas Cowboys

Michael Irvin was called “The Playmaker” by many and “A Football Player’s Football Player” by others. He became one of the most visible and iconic faces of the world-renowned Dallas Cowboys “America’s Team” dynasty that conquered three Super Bowl crowns in a four-year period in the 1990s.

Kurt Thomas

Texas Christian University

Kurt Thomas

Texas Christian University

Kurt Thomas soared as a stupendous basketball one-man powerhouse, demonstrated by an All-American top national scoring campaign at Texas Christian University (TCU), after rising as a regional standout with the Dallas Hillcrest Panthers. He then embarked on a persevering 18-year career in the NBA with nine teams.

Donald “Ray” Crockett

Duncanville High School

Donald “Ray” Crockett

Duncanville High School

Andrea Riley

Lincoln High School

Andrea Riley

Lincoln High School

Andrea Riley was a game-changing triple-era basketball marvel, winning a state title at Dallas Lincoln High School, becoming Oklahoma State’s all-time leading scorer (both men’s and women’s) and a standout in the WNBA. The mighty 5 ft. 5 in. fiery sparkplug of a point guard engineered and led her teams to constant great success.

Robert Oran Evans

Southern Methodist University

Robert Oran Evans

Southern Methodist University

Robert Oran Evans diligently assembled a close to a half-century basketball coaching career through numerous teams in the southwest and southeast regions, smashing several racial barriers along the way and making positive impact on hundreds of young basketball players and young men from all walks of life.