Wichita Falls City View football coach/AD Heath Aldrich dies of cancer

Aldrich also served as the high school girls basketball coach for his alma mater in Texas

City View Head Football Coach Heath Aldrich looks on during day one of two-a-days on Monday, August 5, 2024. / Naomi Skinner/Times Record News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Less than a year after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Heath Aldrich died on Thursday, Dec. 26.

The head football coach and athletic director for Wichita Falls City View High School in Texas was 40 years old. 

He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Mikel, and two children, a daughter, Blayke and a son, Harlyn. He was diagnosed on Jan. 11, according to theWichita Falls Times Record News. 

A celebration for Aldrich will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29 at the City View High School gym.

Aldrich was the head girls basketball coach at Petrolia and later was a quarterback coach at Wichita Falls High School. He moved to City View in 2020 as the head girls basketball coach and offensive coordinator. 

He was named the head football coach and AD on June 12, 2023. Aldrich was part of the first graduating class of City View in 2003. He went 7-5 in his first season as the head football coach and guided the Mustangs to the Class 3A Division II playoffs.

In his final season as the head football coach, Aldrich guided the Mustangs to a 9-3 record.

City View made the Class 3A Division II playoffs again but lost Gunter — the state champions — in the second round of the playoffs. It was the second year in a row that Gunter ended City View's season.

On the basketball court, he guided the Lady Mustangs to the playoffs the past two seasons.

In 2022-23, City View made the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14 and with a win over Brock it was the program’s second-ever playoff win.

Last year, City View went back to the playoffs and won another playoff game.

Aldrich relinquished the girls basketball coaching job to Krataura Buckner.

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