Our Coaching Staff
Coach Linden Heldt
Athletic Coordinator / Head Coach
Bio
Coach Heldt is in his 21st year coaching and his 4th year as Head Coach at Waco High School. He has had coaching stops at Canyon Creek, Putnam City West, Arlington High and most recently South Grand Prairie High School. His teams were ranked as some of the top defensive units in 6A in the DFW metroplex. Coach Heldt has coached in the playoffs in each of the previous 11 seasons going multiple rounds deep. He has helped develop over 25 division one athletes and 46 collegiate athletes in his career. He is a graduate of Southlake Carroll High School where he lettered as a linebacker and played football collegiately at Wheaton College. He is married to his lovely wife Julianne, and has three children Payton (13), Brooks (11), and Ainsley (7)
Coach Leo Burks
Strength and Conditioning
Bio
Coach Burks is entering his 10th year of coaching and his 4th year as the Director of Athletic Performance at Waco High. Prior to Waco High, he was an assistant strength and conditioning coach and defensive backs coach in Georgia. Coach Burks was named the State of Texas strength and conditioning coach of the year in 2023. He brings years of experience developing training programs that are catered to the needs of all athletes; from professional, collegiate, high school, and middle school athletes. He has also had coaching stops at Reicher Catholic High School and D1 Sports Training, where he served as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. He was also on the strength and conditioning staff at Tarleton State University. As a graduate of Connally High School, Waco is home for Coach Burks and his family. He is married to his wife Misty, and they have three children Josiah (7), Kyler (5), and Nyla (3).
Coach Cody King
Defensive Coordinator
Bio
Coach King is in his 11th year of coaching and his 3rd year at Waco High School. Coach King has had previous stops at Kerens, Dawson, Corsicana, and Round Rock McNeil. Coach King will be the Defense Coordinator at Waco High, he has coached all over the defensive unit. His most experience is coaching the secondary and Outside Linebackers. Coach King graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor in Exercise Sport and science. Coach King is married to his wife Diana for 5 years and they have 3 children Angelina (18) Olivia (15) and Hudson (5).
Coach Nathan Vogel
Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
Bio
Coach Vogel begins his 13 th year coaching and his 4th as offensive coordinator for Waco High
School. He spent 5 years at Burleson High School in multiple roles that included offensive
coordinator and offensive line coach. He was a key leader in offenses that consistently
averaged over 350 yards per game and 30 points per game. Prior to Burleson, he coached the
offensive line at Enid High School (Oklahoma, 6A) for 5 years and was the offensive
coordinator for 1 season. In his career, he has been a contributor to the development of over
35 collegiate athletes, 11 of which have earned scholarships to NCAA Division I schools. He
has been married to his beautiful and loving wife, Jules Vogel, for 5 years. They have two
sons: Cooper (2 years old) and Carter (8 months old).
Coach Corey Ephraim
Varsity Linebackers - Special Teams Coordinator
Bio
Coach Ephraim attended Waco High during the 1995 – 1997 school years. He played multiple sports during that time. His most memorable was football where he was an Inside Linebacker and Defensive Tackle player for the WHS Class of 1997. After receiving his high school diploma, in 1997, he received a scholarship to East Central University and played Inside Linebacker, for their football team. He later transferred to Baylor University (Class of 2002) and Tarleton State University (Class of 2022). Corey was a staff member of LaVega High School and while there they won the Class 4A State Championship(15/18). He was their Photographer during their ride to victory. From 2015 - 2019, Corey had the opportunity to be the Media and Statistician for the LaVega Lady Pirates, which were state runners-up in basketball. He is married to Nikitha Hartfield-Ephraim and has three children, Aiyana (22) Cameron (14), and Corrae (12). This upcoming school year, 2023-2024, Corey will be the Special Teams Coordinator and Varsity Linebackers at Waco High School, for the first time. He has been on staff at WHS for the last 3 years as their Video Coordinator and last year as the Freshman Head Coach Mr. E. (as the students call him) is very passionate about helping kids develop and become lifelong learners as well as good athletes! Lion Pride Runs Deep!
Coach Brandon Williams
Running Backs
Bio
Coach Williams is new to Waco High School and coaches the Running Backs. He is entering his 20th year in coaching and comes from Austin, Tx. Coach Williams graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Texas State University, in San Marcos, before obtaining his Master’s degree from Concordia University in Austin, Tx. He is a proud father of two daughters, Naliyah (21) and Kristian (18) and moved to Waco with his fiancé and best friend Hollie.
Coach Jason Parsons
Defense - Nose
Bio
Coach Parsons is in his 23rd year of coaching and his first at Waco High as an English SIT Teacher, Football and Basketball Coach. Coach Parsons has coached at McGregor, Fort Bend Clements, Brownwood and Lorena. Coach Parsons will be assisting with the defensive line at Waco High. Coach Parsons graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor’s of Exercise Sports Science with a minor in English in 1999. Coach Parsons has been married to his wife, Misty, for 21 years, and they have 2 children, Dana (33) and Alex (25). Coach Parsons also has a son in law, Brady (34), and two granddaughters, Ryan (7) and Jaci (2). The Parsons family is very excited to be a part of the Waco High Lions family. Go Lions!
Coach Trenton Freeman
Linebackers Coach
Bio
Coach Freeman begins his 1st year as a high school coach. Coach Freeman graduated from
Waco High School in 2021, and attended McMurry University where he got his Bachelors in
Science and graduated December 2023. While at McMurry Coach Freeman not only played
football for McMurry, but he also was a student coach at McMurry for 2 years.He is most
experienced with coaching inside linebackers. Coach Freeman is excited to come back and
coach at his alma mater. “I love my community so coming back and being able to coach at my
alma mater Waco High School is a dream come true”. Coach Freeman has one beautiful
daughter (Aailyah Nykole Freeman).
Coach Travis Kleypas
Offensive Line
Bio
Coach Kleypas, who graduated from the University of North Texas in 2021, is entering
his third year of teaching and coaching, with his second season at Waco High. He will
be in his second year as the offensive line coach and as a Special Education Inclusion
Teacher. Additionally, Coach Kleypas also coaches for the school’s powerlifting
program.
Coach Braden Freeman
Wide Receivers - JV Offensive Coordinator
Bio
Coach Braden Freeman is entering his eighth year of coaching football and track. A Waco native, Coach Freeman graduated from Midway High School and continued his education at Stephen F. Austin State University where he majored in kinesiology and minored in history. He has been happily married to his wife Victoria for seven years, and together they have three children (Noah, 5, Emma, 3, Andrew, 1). Coach Freeman will serve as the wide receivers coach and is excited to serve the students and athletic program here at Waco High.
Coach Blaine Listach
Wide Receivers
Bio
Coach Listach will be entering his first year at Waco High School where he will be coaching Football and Track & Field. Prior to that, he spent the previous three years at Waco ISD middle schools: Indian Spring Middle School and G.W. Carver Middle School. Coach Listach is a graduate of Rapoport Academy in Waco. He went on to complete his Bachelor's Degree from Baylor University in 2015, where he was a member of the Men's Track and Field Team. Coach Listach's brother, Patrick, is also a teacher and coach at Waco High School.
Coach Andre Latouche
Defensive Line - JV Head Coach
Bio
Coach LaTouche is going on his Fourth year with Waco High as a Physical Education Teacher, Football, and Powerlifting Coach. Andre LaTouche was born and raised in Temple, Texas, where he graduated from Temple High School in 1997. While attending Temple High School, he played one year of football and four years in Basketball and Track. In college, Andre went on to play College Basketball at Texas Wesleyan University and The University of Mary Hardin Baylor who competed on NCAA Division III level. Coach LaTouche Graduated from University of Mary Hardin Baylor in 2006 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Studies. Coach LaTouche has a 19-year-old son who is attending Junior College in San Antonio, Texas. After College, Coach LaTouche became a Parole officer in Waco and the Temple/Killeen area for four years. After the parole stint, he started teaching high school Physical Education and coaching Football, Basketball, and Track for 6 years before landing here at Waco High. Coach LaTouche is excited about this year’s football team, and he’s very passionate about getting our players to compete at a high-level and encouraging them to be the best in everything they do! Coach LaTouche stated, “The players and community of Waco strive to be great in every area of sports, and this wonderful community! It is truly an honor to be a part of something great like the School, the Team, and this wonderful Community in Waco, Texas. I’m truly blessed”!
Coach Tony Garcia
Running Backs
Bio
Coach Garcia is in his 2nd year of coaching & first year at Waco High School where he’ll be assisting the offensive line. Coach Garcia was previously at Tarleton State during the 2021 COVID-19 spring season as a student assistant coach. Where he assisted the defensive line & assisted the linebackers during the fall of 2021. Coach Garcia participated in an internship with Monterrey Tech in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico during the summer of 2022 assisting the Wide Receivers. Coach Garcia graduated from Tarleton State University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.
Coach Sul Ross
Quarterback Coach / Freshmen Offensive Coordinator
Bio
Coach Ross is now in his 34th year coaching and his 10 th year at Waco High School. Coach Ross coached football at Austin Westlake for 22 years where he was the Offensive Coordinator from 1997-2009. Coach Ross has coached in seven State Championship games at the highest classification in Texas. As quarterback coach, Coach Ross has coached ten division I quarterbacks, including two NFL quarterbacks that have both been Super Bowl MVPs- Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints –currently retired), and Nick Foles (Philadelphia Eagles-currently with the Indianapolis Colts). Coach Ross also has coached several more Division I players. These include NFL players Ryan Swope- Arizona Cardinals, Kyle Adams- Chicago Bears/Tampa Bay, Justin Tucker- Baltimore Ravens, and Bryce Hagar- LA Rams/NY Jets. Coach Ross went to Bruceville-Eddy HS and graduated from Tarleton University where he was a multi-sport athlete. Coach Ross has three sons; Sul Jr., Darrell, and Coy.
Coach Scott Layne
Varsity Corners - Freshmen Head Coach and DC
Bio
Coach Layne was born and raised in Waco, Texas, and graduated from Valley Mills High School in 2004. After high school, Coach Layne went on to graduate from Tarleton State University with a degree in Business Administration.
​Upon graduating from Tarleton State, he worked at Wells Fargo Bank in Waco, Texas, where he met his wife Ashley, of 10 years. His proudest moments were when his daughter Reagan (9) and son Grayson (6) were brought into the world.
Coach Layne taught Special Education at Connally ISD for three years, and coached football, basketball, and track. This is Coach Layne’s fourth year with Waco High football coaching corners. He is excited to be a part of building the Lion football program and is dedicated to ensuring that students achieve both personal and professional success in the classroom and on the field.