WAKE UP! (AND EAT LUNCH) ON ETBLITZ | Overshown’s school supply give-away Aug. 9; more in Wake Up! Heads Up
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you want a great place to get coffee and you haven’t already discovered it, go to Cozy Coffee Station! They’ve got locations in Kilgore (at 110 Midtown Plaza) and in Gilmer (755 Highway 271 North), and no, coffee is NOT just a morning thing! They’re our advertising partner every day for Wake Up! and we are so glad! If you’d like to see their menu (trust us, you’ll be glad you did), here it is: Cozy Coffee Station.
Malcolm Jamal-Warner passes
So sad to hear about the drowning of Malcolm Jamal-Warner, whom most remember from his role as Theo, the only boy in the Huxtable family on “The Cosby Show.” But this guy did so much more.
This isn’t a Hollywood column, or even a news site. But if you haven’t seen Malcolm Jamal-Warner on “The Resident,” a series about an Atlanta, Georgia hospital, where he is surgeon A.J. Austin, I’d encourage you to watch it. If you’re squeamish, maybe not. But if you can get around it, Jamal-Warner was fantastic on that series, and it can be streamed in a number of places right now: Netflix and Hulu, off the top of my head.
My favorite episode of “Cosby” was when Theo had his older sister, Denise, make him a shirt, one that was supposed to look like a designer shirt, for a date he had coming up. It didn’t turn out too well, LOL.
If you haven’t seen it, or haven’t seen it in a while, I’ll let you watch the episode. But here’s the portion of the show where Theo finds out he can’t keep the designer shirt, and has to take it back.
Malcolm Jamal-Warner passes at 54. Wow.
Wake Up! Heads Up!
Here are some upcoming events of note from our ETBlitz.com coverage area. If you have an announcement that should be here, for no cost, email me (Mitch Lucas) at mlucas@etblitz.com.
Beckville parent meeting
There will be a general parent meeting about Beckville High School sports a week from tomorrow on Tuesday, July 29, at 6 p.m. at the school’s coliseum. Coaching staff will give parents what they can expect for sports at Beckville this year, as well as updates from the University Interscholastic League, ways to communicate with coaches, updated practice and game schedules, and expectations of students and parents.
Beckville football camp this week
Hey, another of our new schools, Beckville High, is hosting its annual football camp, a two-day camp on July 23-24, there at R.C. Beauchamp Stadium on campus.
Camp is for kids who have completed first through eighth grades and is set for 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on both days. Registration is $45 and includes instruction and a camp T-shirt.
The camp focuses on fundamentals of football, including offense and defense, and special teams skills.
Checks can be mailed (if you hurry) to Beckville Athletics at P.O. Box 37, Beckville, TX, 75631.
Arp camp this week, too
Arp High School is also hosting a football camp next week, at Bill Herrington Tiger Stadium. The camp is July 23-24, and it’s for incoming seventh, eighth and ninth graders, from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. both days. The camp is being conducted at no cost for the kids.
Arp Back to School giveaway
We just found out today that Dallas Cowboys linebacker Demarvion Overshown is going to start the season on the PUP list (physically unable to perform; our story: COWBOYS’ OVERSHOWN GOES TO PUP LIST | Arp native, former UT standout rehabbing knee injury). But Agent Zero will once again host a school-supply give-away at Arp City Park on Saturday, August 9, beginning at 9 a.m. The backpacks with school supplies in them are first-come, first serve, while they last. And despite the PUP list designation, Overshown is rehabbing a knee injury, and has told members of the ETBlitz.com staff he still plans to be back in the Cowboys’ line-up this season. He’ll be wearing No. 0, though, on his jersey. (AGENT ZERO WILL WEAR THAT NUMBER | Arp’s Overshown to make jersey switch, will wear ‘0’ with Cowboys)
Softball tryouts at KC
Kilgore College softball is hosting a tryout / combine next week.
The tryout is Thursday, July 24, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Rangers’ home field, The Ballpark at KC Commons, located just off Houston Street in Kilgore, not far from the KC campus.
There is a registration fee of $80 for players that are currently seniors through seventh graders. It’ll be a same-day sign-up.
Athletes should wear clothes suitable for softball play and bring their own tennis shoes, cleats, turf shoes, glove, helmet and bat. Also, bring a water bottle.
For more information, contact KC softball coach Amber Williams at (903) 983-8178, or at awilliams1@kilgore.edu.
KHS football seeks student filmers
If you’re a Kilgore High School student (that’s a must) and you love football, there’s a pretty good deal floating around out there. This is your chance to get involved.
The Bulldogs’ coaching staff is seeking current KHS students to help them film practices and games, both on Thursday nights (freshmen and junior varsity) and Friday’s varsity games.
Students who accept will be a member of the team and travel with the Ragin’ Red. They’re also eligible to gain a letterman in the process.
If you’re interested, reach out to coach Mason McCormack at mmcormack@kisd.org.
Meet the Pirates is July 31
Pine Tree fans can come out and Meet the Pirates (and it states varsity teams, so likely not just football, but at least volleyball, as well) on Thursday, July 31, at Pirate Center. The school district also plans to have fine arts performances that night. It all begins at 6:30 p.m.
Overton volleyball parent meeting
A meeting is set for Overton High School volleyball parents this Thursday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the gym. This is for parents of players entering ninth through 12th grades that plan to play volleyball this school year. For questions, email coach Kolebi Spikes at kolebi.spikes@overtonisd.org.
Decals With Dads, Dinner With Moms at Troup
A couple of important dates to remember: The Troup Tigers’ varsity football annual dinner with moms is set for Saturday, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. at the high school cafeteria, and dads, Decals with Dads (which I’m thinking involves the placement of helmet stickers) is on Wednesday, Aug. 27, also at the cafeteria.
Carthage ISD taking Hall of Honor nominees
One of our programs new to ETBlitz.com is Carthage High School, and Carthage is accepting nominations for its athletics Hall of Honor, right now.
Nominations should be submitted with a photo and a letter that states their credentials for potential induction, any awards they’ve won and citizenship and community involvement, or other information that the person submitting the nomination deems relevant. Nominations are due by Aug. 1, and need to be submitted online here: CHS Athletic Hall of Honor Nomination Form.
Meet the Buckeyes, August 9
Gilmer High School’s annual Meet the Buckeyes kickoff party is set for Saturday, August 9, a 6 p.m. start at Jeff Traylor Stadium. Come out, meet the 2025 Gilmer High School football team and coaches, have supper and all kinds of treats. Vendors will be on hand and there’s even face-painting, although I would encourage you to maybe not plan to get your face painted on Aug. 9 for the season opener. Maybe get it re-painted before then.
Coach Alan Metzel and the Buckeyes’ first preseason scrimmage is just a few days later, at home on Friday, Aug. 15, against Paris.
Become a KC athletics sponsor
Here’s a great opportunity for your business to be promoted, and support Kilgore College athletics at the same time.
Kilgore College athletics has tiered sponsorship packages for the 2025-26 school year:
- A $1,500 package that includes mentions during broadcasts of KC sports, on either live-streaming or radio; placement of an ad for your business on the team’s schedule posters (football, men’s and women’s basketball teams and softball); a rotating banner ad on the college’s athletic site, kcrangernation.com (click here to be directed: Kilgore College), including your business’s logo and a link to its website; flag sponsorship at the KC Athletics Hall of Fame Golf Tournament in October; ads in the football program throughout the season; and two reserved tickets to all home football and basketball games, as well as passes to all softball games at home.
- A $750 package that includes the rotating banner ad on the KC athletics website; a hole sponsorship sign at the hall of fame golf tourney; and the passes to all KC games.
- A $300 banner ad sponsorship of the KC athletics website, with the business logo and link included.
To become a sponsor, fill out the sponsorship form here (KC Athletics Sponsorship-2025-2026.pdf), and return the form and payment for the package you choose to Kilgore College Athletic Department, c/o Courtney Pruitt, Athletic Director, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, TX 75662. To speak with public information director Chris Craddock about ads and logos, email him at ccraddock@kilgore.edu.