Meet the 2025 Star-Telegram high school football coach of the year
Introducing the 2025 Star-Telegram Coach of the Year: Arlington Heights’ Curtis James.
James, while cultivating a culture of hard work, belief and togetherness, led the Yellow Jackets to an 11-2 record in a historic season that saw them advance past the area round for the first time since 1973.
The second-round win was Fort Worth ISD’s first in the UIL’s second-largest classification since 2000. The victory comes on the heels of Fort Worth Benbrook’s area win in 2024, the district’s first in 24 years. With Heights’ monumental season, the steady progress for the district reached new heights.
“Coach James has done a great job over the last three years to consistently strengthen the football program at Arlington Heights,” Fort Worth ISD executive director of athletics JJ Calderon said. “It’s exciting to see him recognized as the Star-Telegram Coach of the Year because he exemplifies what coaching beyond the game is all about.
“His dedication to fostering relationships and developing hardworking student athletes is core to his leadership style. The 2025 championship season and playoff success stem from the culture that he has established within the program, along with the collective buy-in from the athletes, staff and the Arlington Heights community.”
Heights went above and beyond expectations with elite team speed, and a monster 2,352-yard season from junior running back Carson James, one of Curtis James’ three sons on the team. He earned District 4-5A Division I MVP honors.
Senior Caynan James made 101 tackles and had 27.5 tackles for a loss with 8.5 sacks en route to first-team all-district honors. Junior Carter James also made the first team with 86 tackles, 32 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks.
They anchored a district-leading defense that also included BYU signee Antonio Johnson, who tallied seven interceptions. He played two ways, registering 413 receiving yards and five TDs.
Prior to the playoff wins, Heights went on a run to win the District 4-5A Division I championship. The Jackets also ended the regular season with a dominant 45-14 victory over Paschal in the Battle of the Bonfire, one of Fort Worth’s premier rivalry games.
During the season, the Jackets averaged 50 points per game and outscored opponents 651-231. They started the year by shutting out five of six opponents.
To capitalize on the strong season, the Jackets claimed a 36-23 victory over White Settlement Brewer in the bi-district round and a 56-41 victory over Lubbock Monterey in the area round.
The season ended with a 55-0 loss to Aledo, an eventual Class 5A Division I state semifinalist.
North Crowley’s Ray Gates, who departed for the University of North Texas in December, was named Star-Telegram Coach of the Year in 2023 and 2024.
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 4:30 AM.
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