Tynes Hildebrand
| Tynes B. Hildebrand, Sr.
(Louisiana basketball coach and athletic director) | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 25, 1931 Florien, Sabine Parish, Louisiana Residence: |
| Died | July 28, 2024 (aged 93) Alexandria, Louisiana |
| Spouse | Julia Hildebrand
Children: |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
| Military Service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Awards | Top Officer award in the Western Defense Command; served at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and at the Hanford Atomic projects in Washington State. |
Tynes Hildebrand, Sr., popularly known as Coach Hildebrand (February 25, 1931 – July 28, 2024), was a basketball coach from 1965 to 1980 and athletic director from 1983 to 1996 at his alma mater, Northwestern State University in his adopted city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.[1] As coach, he compiled a career record of 187–203. In 2014, he was elected to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in downtown Natchitoches.[2]
Contents
Background
Hildebrand was born in rural Florien in Sabine Parish in northwestern Louisiana, to Hezekiah Taylor "Hez" Hildebrand (1890-1972) and the former Helen Isabel Tynes (1903-1990).[3] He graduated from Florien High School before entering Northwestern State University on a basketball and track scholarship. He lettered in both sports for all four years and graduated with honors with degrees in Education and Science. He earned a Master's degree plus 50 graduate hours.[4]
Career
After graduation from NSU, he served in the United States Army at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas and at the Hanford Atomic projects in Washington State. There he was awarded the Top Officer award in the Western Defense command. Thereafter, he returned to Natchitoches to teach and coach at Natchitoches High School and later became the basketball coach at Northwestern State University. He coached championship teams at all levels and was honored to be part of selection coaches in 1972 for the United States Olympic Team.[4] During his time as the athletic director, NSU moved from the Gulf Star Conference to the Southland Conference. After his retirement from NSU, he began his work for the National Collegiate Athletic Association, for which he served until 2014 as a referee trainer and evaluator of major college basketball officials.[4]
Personal life
Active in the Natchitoches community, he was a former president of the Kiwanis Club. With his wife, Julia, he was co-chair of the Natchitoches Christmas Festival in 1982, and was named that year as "Man of the Year." He was often the master of ceremonies at public and private events and was known for his humorous stories. His obituary calls him "a collector of friends" with "more than you could ever count." He was named to the NSU Sports Hall of Fame.[4] He was a member, deacon, and Sunday School teacher at the First Baptist Church in downtown Natchitoches. In addition to his wife, he was survived by his sons, Tynes, Jr., and wife Trish, and Bruce and wife, Nancy and five grandchildren.[4] He is commemorated by Tynes Hildebrand Athletic Scholarship Fund at NSU.[4]
References
- ↑ The New York Times, May 24, 1995.
- ↑ The New Orleans Times-Picayune, February 3, 2014.
- ↑ {{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70091792/hezekiah_taylor-hildebrand%7Ctitle-Hezekiah Taylor Hildebrand|publisher=Findagrave.com|accesdate=August 16, 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Tynes Hildebrand Obituary, The Shreveport Times, July 30, 2024.
