Vickie McQueen, pictured with husband and Badgers’ head football coach Joey McQueen, was presented with the Woman of the Year award at the Texas High School Coaches Association Convention last week in San Antonio. Vickie McQueen knows her husband well.

After 34 years of marriage, she can tell when he is attempting to be sneaky.

At the Texas High School Coaches Association’s annual convention last week, she knew something strange was going on.

While attending a meeting of the Texas High School Coaches Wives Association, she realized her husband Joey, Lampasas High School athletic director and head football coach, was the only man in the room.

“I knew something was up,” Mrs. McQueen said. “Joey told me [I needed] to be at the general meeting for the wives, and I really wondered why he wanted to make sure I was there.

“He had never worried about what meeting I needed or wanted to go to before.”

Then the surprise was revealed as the organization named Mrs. McQueen the 2010 Woman of the Year.

While the award was an honor in itself, perhaps the most treasured moment came when the association’s president read aloud the letter written by her husband nominating her.

“Of course, with each sentence she read, tears of pride appeared on my face,” Mrs. McQueen said. “With Joey being my best friend since kindergarten, it made me proud to have him nominate me. Not because it is the most important thing I have received, but because he took the time to nominate me, and he sees what I really try to do as a coach’s wife.” Mrs. McQueen also received bracelet from her friend Cammy Burns -- wife of Badgers’ cooffensive coordinator Clinton Burns -- to commemorate the occasion.

“I will cherish it forever,” Mrs. McQueen said.

The THSCWA was established in 1985 as a way to support the THSCA and promote positive interactions among coaches’ wives.

In addition to the heartfelt letter, the committee explained they chose Mrs. McQueen for the annual award because of her involvement within the Lampasas community and her unwavering support of the Badgers.

“As coaches wives, this is our life,” Mrs. McQueen said. “We eat, breathe and dream of success for everyone involved.

“Coaches wives are motivators, and I am only a small part of this, but I try very hard to get all of us involved.”

Although the award was a huge surprise to the LISD’s new kindergarten through fifth-grade curriculum specialist, the biggest shock of the week was the fact her husband kept the award a secret.

After nominating her in January, McQueen found out three weeks ago his wife would be the recipient.

“I really could not believe he kept it a secret,” Mrs. McQueen said. “He can’t even keep Christmas gifts a secret.”

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Today is the final opportunity to purchase tickets for Football 102 -- a football-related seminar exclusively for women.

To purchase a ticket, call Vickie McQueen at 512-921-2471 by 5 p.m. today. Cost is $15.

Presented by the Badgers’ football coaching staff and their wives, Football 102 is scheduled for Monday at 6:30 p.m. inside the LHS cafeteria.

In addition to having a meal, door prizes and entertainment, motivational speaker Carolyn Allen -- wife of Randy Allen, Highland Park High School head football coach -- will address the audience.