Texas High School Football Icon Steve Wood Accepts Head Coaching Job at Southwest Christian in Fort Worth

The former Aledo head coach won three state titles and posted a 75–4 record before retiring in 2023

Legendary Aledo head football coach and athletic director Steve Wood will return to the sidelines as the head football coach at Southwest Christian in Fort Worth. / Kirsten Gallon

Steve Wood, one of the most accomplished coaches in Texas high school football history, is returning to the sideline.

The former Aledo head coach and athletic director, who turns 68 this week, is returning to the sidelines to take over the football program at Southwest Christian School in southwest Fort Worth.

The hire was formally announced Thursday morning, concluding roughly two weeks of discussions that brought one of the state’s most respected figures back into the game.

Aledo Legend Returns to the Sideline

Wood spent decades helping shape Aledo into one of Texas’ premier football powers. Before taking over the Bearcats, he built a broad résumé with coaching stops at Calhoun, Dobie and Boswell, gaining experience that later helped fuel Aledo’s rise.

Steve Wood / Mineral Wells

He stepped into the Aledo head coaching role in 2014, succeeding longtime colleague Tim Buchanan. Over the next five seasons, he captured three state titles and established one of the most efficient stretches in Texas high school football history.

He and Buchanan later swapped roles in 2019, sending Buchanan back to the field while Wood moved into the athletic director position.

Why Southwest Christian Targeted Wood

Before taking over the program, Wood served as a key piece of Aledo’s machine during its early championship run. He was part of eight other state titles as an assistant from 2009 through 2022, helping establish a dynasty that eventually reached a dozen overall championships.

Wood and Buchanan retired together following the 2022 season, officially stepping away in January 2023 and turning the program over to longtime offensive coordinator Robbie Jones.

That retirement didn’t last long. Wood spent this past fall assisting the Mineral Wells program, an experience that helped reignite his desire to coach again. The passion he found there ultimately led him to Southwest Christian, where he will take over a team that finished 6–5 this season in TAPPS Division II.

The Eagles tied for fourth in District 1 with a 1–4 league record and allowed 37.3 points per game, an area where Wood — widely regarded as a defensive specialist throughout his career — is expected to leave an immediate impact.

How Wood Fits the Eagles' Immediate Needs

Southwest Christian announced its excitement with a post on its Facebook page, calling Wood’s arrival a defining moment for the school’s athletic future.

“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Steve Wood, the legendary former Aledo Head Coach and architect of one of the most dominant dynasties in Texas high school football, as our new Head Football Coach,” the post read. “Coach Wood brings: 11 state championships over the last 15 years; a remarkable 75–4 record as Aledo’s Head Coach; and a proven blueprint for building championship programs rooted in culture, discipline, and leadership.

"But what matters most to our community is how he leads," the post continued. "Coach Wood is committed to forming young men of character — developing athletes who excel on the field, grow in their faith, and lead with integrity.”

Wood echoed that message, offering a clear vision for what he intends to build at his new stop.

“I’m coming to teach Christian life lessons through the game of football, and make no mistake, we are going to win at SCS,” Wood said, per the Facebook post.

His legacy in Aledo remains firmly rooted. In recognition of his impact on the community and the program’s long-term success, Aledo ISD formally named its sports facility the Steve Wood Complex — a rare honor for a coach whose influence extended far beyond the field.

With one of Texas’ most decorated coaches back in charge, Southwest Christian now begins a new chapter — and Wood begins the next stage of a career that has already reshaped high school football across the state.

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