Carter football legend Freddie James dies

Freddie James recorded 139 wins as head football coach at Dallas Carter High School, a record that helped define the Carter Cowboys program. His family confirmed this week that the legendary coach died at age 89.

James served as the head coach at the Dallas high school from 1982 to 1995. During those 13 seasons, he transformed the team into a dominant force in Texas high school athletics. The program earned national attention, and several players went on to compete in college and the NFL.

Current Carter High School head coach Spencer Gilbert described James as a mentor and father figure. Gilbert said the late coach emphasized the people impacted by the program rather than just the scoreboard. "He let me know that it’s not about the wins and losses; it’s about the legacy of people you impact along the way," Gilbert said.

James' career included a notable controversy in 1988. The Carter Cowboys had their football title stripped after officials discovered that one player was ineligible. Despite that setback, James maintained a strong influence on the sport in North Texas.

Wylonia Johnson, who is James' goddaughter and now serves as a coach at Carter High School, reflected on his impact from the sidelines. Johnson said James' influence will continue through the athletes he mentored. "True legends never die, so he won't die. We’ll just have to let him live on through all of things that he did throughout his life," Johnson said.

James' life and coaching career were depicted in two motion pictures. Scholarships have also been established in his name to support student athletes. The Texas football community has responded to his death with an outpouring of remembrance from former players and coaches.

Gilbert noted that James was a grandfather and mentor to many. "Coach James was more than a football coach. He was a mentor, he was father, a grandfather. Everything you asked a man to do," Gilbert said. The Carter Cowboys program continues to operate under the standards James helped establish.