By David Taylor / Managing Editor
It didn’t take long for Channelview ISD and the community to find a way to remember a longtime employee for the school district by naming the athletic complex after William E. Jennings. Jennings passed away July 29, 2024, and served the district for 30 years as athletic director, and a total of 43 years as an employee.
“Coach Jennings was a merchant of hope to many, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of countless students, educators, athletes, coaches, and colleagues,” said Superintendent Dr. Tory C. Hill at a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the new sign bearing Jennings’s name.
The event assembled district leaders, board members, local officials, students, staff, and the Jennings family to celebrate the impact of a man who dedicated over four decades to Channelview ISD.
Born in Carbondale, Texas, at an early age, he became a Christian and united with Mt. Obie Baptist Church. He played prep-school ball at New Boston High School and then went on to Southern Arkansas University where he played defensive back and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physical education and biology.
He began his career in education at Dumas High School in August of 1974 as an assistant varsity high school coach, eighth-grade basketball coach, and study hall keeper. In 1975, he met the love of his life, Zeleandor Johnson Jennings, on a blind date. He said his first words to her were “I’m going to marry you,” and she just chuckled. They were later married and had a son, Brandon Conrad Jennings, in 1978.
In 1980, he was a graduate assistant in charge of the defensive ends at Henderson State University where he earned his master’s in physical education. He was hired as an assistant coach at Channelview High School in August of 1981. He served as an assistant coach for eight years before being named athletic director for Channelview ISD in 1995. He held that position until his passing in July 2024.
His family hosted a celebration of life at the Bill Neal Center (CISD’s gymnasium) where hundreds were able to pay their respects.
“I am grateful that our trustees have chosen to honor Coach Jennings by naming the complex after him. Coach Jennings was deeply dedicated to our student-athletes and the CISD athletics program,” Hill said at the ceremony.
The Channelview ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the renaming of the district’s sports complex on August 20, 2024, in recognition of Coach Jennings’s 30-year tenure as Athletic Director and 43 years of service to the district. The official dedication ceremony featured remarks from Superintendent Dr. Tory C. Hill, Board President Alex Ybarra, New Athletic Director Damion Hopkins, and members of the Jennings family, who shared heartfelt reflections on Coach Jennings’s unwavering commitment to student-athletes and the Channelview community.
“His legacy will live on in every athlete who steps onto the field, every coach who leads with integrity, and every student who strives for excellence,” Hill told the community gathered at the complex.
Following the ceremony, attendees gathered for the official ribbon-cutting, symbolizing the continuation of Coach Jennings’s lasting influence on Channelview athletics.
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