Leasleypalooza Volume V Recap

Leasleypalooza Volume V, sponsored by Glazer’s, raised $6,300 for the Randy Leasley Scholarship Fund on June 21. The day started with an exciting golf tournament at The Lake Country Club. Ray Lamb, Sorrel Petersen, Larry Leasley, and Kenneth Leasley — after four consecutive second-place finishes — bested 21 teams to finally take home top prize, engraved George’s Big O mugs. The team shot 52, winning a scorecard playoff against the team of Kyle Roberts, Wayne Roberts, Jeff Porter, and Jeff Porter, Sr. The event ended with everyone enjoying a concert by Donna Beckham and The Jonquil Street Band. Steve Gilmore won the raffle for a Pat Green autographed guitar and Jeff Gonzalez won the Terrell Owens autographed photo.

“It was a great day that Randy would have enjoyed,” RLSF director Luke Gilliam said. “Add in the money we were able to raise for the scholarship fund and it ends up being a great day all around.”

Special thanks to all our volunteers, sponsors and donators: Glazer’s, George’s, Total Restoration, Community Bank & Trust, Hooters, Pat Green, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Stars, Frisco Roughriders, Round Rock Express, Nate Self, Silverhorn Golf Club, La Cantera Golf Course, Canyon Springs Golf Course, Crowne Plaza San Antonio.

Luke McConnell Named RLSF Recipient

China Spring High School senior Luke McConnell was presented with the fifth annual Randy Leasley Scholarship at the school’s awards program Monday night. The $5,000 scholarship is presented to the outstanding China Spring senior who best typifies the kindness, zest for life, work ethic, and willingness to help others displayed by Randy Leasley in his 18 years as a teacher and coach at China Spring High School before his death in a fire at his home Feb. 8, 2004.

“We were wowed by Luke’s drive to squeeze every drop out of life,” RLSF director Luke Gilliam said. “Perhaps most impressive was the way the other finalists spoke of him. That seize-the-day philosophy and ability to connect with people of all interests were two of the many reasons Randy made such a big impact on so many. We believe Luke will do the same.”

Luke is the son of Jim and Susan McConnell, and older brother to Evan and Molly. He attends Columbus Avenue Baptist Church.

Luke finished ranked third in a class of 134 students with a 4.4 grade point average. He has accumulated 21 hours of college credit through dual-credit courses. His academic honors include: Pre-Calculus Award, Dual Credit U.S. History Award, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, ‘A’ Honor Roll every reporting period, U.S. Achievement Academy Service Award Recipient, and Rensselaer Medal Award for Math and Science.

His extracurricular involvement includes: section leader and award-winning trumpet player in the band, choir, vice-president of the National Honor Society, treasurer of the Leo Club, president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, state qualifier in the UIL Social Studies event.

Luke’s volunteer work includes: Relay for Life, Upward Basketball Referee, Church Mission Trips to Michigan, San Antonio and Nicaragua, Highway Cleanup, Canned Food Drive, Storybook Christmas

He plans to attend Oklahoma University.

Leasleypalooza IV Recap

RLSF Announces 2007 Recipient

The Randy Leasley Scholarship Fund awarded a $5,000 scholarship to China Spring High School senior Ashli Anderson on Thursday at the school’s awards ceremony.Ashli is ranked No. 6 in her class of 146 students with a 4.22 grade point average. She has already collected 21 hours of college credit. She is a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, Key Club and Leo Club. She is the yearbook editor, a member of the tennis team, a regional qualifier in editorial writing, plays the clarinet in the band and is active in her youth group at Bible Baptist Church of Waco. Ashli has collected numerous volunteer hours and works at Flips Gymnastics, teaching preschool and special needs classes.

Ashli plans to attend Texas Tech University and study to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. She was selected from a pool of 19 applicants who were judged on their work ethic, kindness, zest for life and willingness to help others. Ashli is the daughter of Brian and Andrea Anderson.

“Ashli impressed our selection committee with her big heart and her passion for helping kids,” RLSF director Luke Gilliam said. “Those are two characteristics we loved about Randy. We’re proud to have Ashli receive this award because we know she’ll have the same type of positive impact on the lives she touches.”

The scholarship is named after Randy Leasley, who taught and coached at China Spring for 18 years before passing away in a fire at his home in 2004. The RLSF has awarded $15,000 in scholarships to honor his memory. The scholarship’s annual fundraiser, Leasleypalooza Volume IV, a golf tournament and concert, will be held June 23 at The Lake Country Club. For more information, visit www.coachleasley.org.

Leasleypalooza Volume III Recap

Leasleypalooza Volume III raised more than $3,500 for the Randy Leasley Scholarship fund. A special thanks to everyone who supported the event.

The golf tournament was won by the team of Wes Connaway, Randy Griffin, Chad Justice and Glen Land with a score of 54 at The Lake Country Club. Rick Barlow gave the event a hole-in-one for the second consecutive year by acing No. 15 with a 7-iron. The big raffle winners were Randy Griffin (autographed Nolan Ryan baseball) and Jon Collins (guitar autographed by David Allen Coe, Cross Canadian Ragweed, etc.). The concert drew 600 people to the HOT Fairgrounds as Wade Bowen and Randy Rogers put on a great show. It was a great time that Randy would have enjoyed, all for a great cause.

Click here to view photos from the event. Visit coachleasley.org for scholarship fund updates throughout the year.

Leasleypalooza Volume II Recap

Leasleypalooza Volume II presented by Miller Lite and Coors Light raised $18,000 for the Randy Leasley Scholarship Fund through its golf tournament and concert in Waco on June 26.The RLSF has now raised more than $73,000 for the college education of China Spring High School students in the organization’s 15 months of operation.
Recapping the event: Former China Spring superintendent Jimmy Carpenter, China Spring grads Shane Carpenter and Graham Michael, and Kurt “The Pup” Whitley won the golf tournament with a 19-under score of 53.Willie Hoppe of Team Glazer’s posted the day’s biggest highlight when he won the closest to the pin contest by making his first career hole-in-one, using a 4-iron to ace the 180-yard 14th hole.

Other contest winners included: Wade Bowen (longest putt), Kenneth Leasley (longest drive) and Jeff Talbert (putting contest). Zack Owen won the raffle drawing for the Jack Nicklaus autographed golf bag.

More than 1,000 people turned out for the rocking Cross Canadian Ragweed-Wade Bowen concert which lasted until midnight at the Heart O’ Texas Fairgrounds.

Thanks to everyone who made the event a success.