Head coach strives for excellence, discipline at TAMUK
Texas A&M University-Kingsville Men’s Head Basketball Coach Johnny Estelle is an inspiration to his players, on and off the court.
Estelle’s basketball records are untouchable, as a player and coach, but so are his life lessons to his players. He’s coached award-winning athletes, included four from the 2019-20 season, one of the best recorded seasons yet. Four players from that season were awarded, one being recent TAMUK graduate Chauncey Thomas.
“He is a great role model, great coach on and off the court. He’ll try and do anything for you. He made me a better person in my two years at TAMUK,” Thomas said.
Thomas has always admired Estelle and strived to do his best for the team, coaches and fans. He says the lessons he’s learned from Estelle have stuck with him even after recently graduating this summer.
Student communications major Casey Brooks is also a member of the team and admires Coach Estelle. He says he wants to be a coach one day as well.
“He inspires me to be the best person I can be every day and showed me what it means to be a leader,” Brooks said.
Brooks admires the leadership advice from Estelle off the court. After practice, Estelle preaches the importance of family to the team in the locker room. He teaches the team not to take life for granted, and to talk to your loved ones every day.
The fans are able to see the leadership advice Estelle gives the team after each basketball game. After every game the players greet, take pictures and sign merchandise for the fans. Fans line up at the edge of the court to see their favorite players. The players express their gratitude to the fans for coming to each game and usually wish them a safe drive home. It’s obvious that Estelle’s life lessons and advice to his players are reflected in their actions off the court.
Estelle’s collegiate playing career started at Missouri Valley College (1992 to’ 93) and Northland Pioneer College (1993 to ’94) at which he earned his Associate’s degree in general studies (1994). In his only season at Northland Pioneer he led the team to a 30-5 record, and the ACCAC and NJCAA Region I championships.
After he transferred to TAMUK, he set a school record as a senior in 1995 to ’96 with 23 wins and the Lone Star Conference Tournament championships.
After two seasons with the Javelinas he scored a total of 742 points. He began his coaching career as a student assistant coach in 1996.
In his coaching career, Coach Estelle has three team championships, a co-championship and is a two-time hall of fame inductee.
He was inducted in the Javelina Hall of Fame in 2016 along with the 1995-1996 men’s basketball team. It was recently announced that he will be inducted into Navarro College’s Hall of Fame along with 13 other members.
“This is an incredible honor from a special institution that has a culture of winning and high standards. Navarro College has always been a special place to me and my family,” Estelle said.
Estelle spent eight seasons as an assistant at Navarro College before earning the head coach position in 2008. His time was well spent at Navarro capturing three Region XIV tournament titles and running up a record of 126-48 in just five seasons.
