As we start the 2009 - 2010 school year, those of us at Lampasas ISD will strive to have the best athletic program we can.

Several ingredients will provide for success in our program. Those ingredients include togetherness, family, unity, growth and rising to the next level; thus the acronym T.O.U.G.H., which means "Together Our Unity Grows Higher."

Badger T.O.U.G.H. will be our slogan this year, and we hope that everyone will get on board and take heed of what the acronym stands for.

I heard Coach Mack Brown from The University of Texas speak this last week at coaching school, and he stated that for a successful program, you need to have everyone on board and pulling in the same direction. He said when you go to work or to school, you should be ready to perform with confidence and let the world know you are happy to be living and are proud of where you come from.

I grew up in Ballinger, Texas, and am proud of where I came from and always thought there was no better place to grow up. No matter what profession you are in or what activities you support, let's get Badger T.O.U.G.H. and take Lampasas to the next level as a town, county and school system.

We can make our program better by weeding out selfishness. No program can be successful with people who put themselves ahead of the team. Individual commitment to a group effort is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work and a civilization work.

Legendary coach Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying, "The only true satisfaction a player receives is the satisfaction that comes from being part of a successful team, regardless of his/ her personal accomplishments." And according to Hall of Fame cornerback Ronnie Lott of the San Francisco 49ers, "People have always said the greatest accomplishments occur, not when you do something for yourself, but when you do something for other people."

I truly want to see our Badgers be the best of the best, and I feel we can accomplish this by being Badger T.O.U.G.H. I hope this acronym can spread throughout our school and community, and add to the spirit and pride we have in Lampasas. Let us band together as a school and community, and show how we can be "Badger T.O.U.G.H."

Joey McQueen is the Lampasas High School athletic director and the Badgers' head football coach.