The 2023 class of the Gordon Wood Hall of Champions will be inducted at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 13 – prior to the Brownwood Lions’ homecoming game against San Angelo Lake View – at the First Methodist Church Christian Life Center.

This year’s honorees, representing the 23rd class to be inducted, include the following:

• Mike Davis
• Jan Brown
• Steve Freeman
• Chance Pearce
• Sydnie Darden

Profiles on each can be found below:

MIKE DAVIS

Mike Davis, a member of the 1981 state champion football team at Brownwood High, feels very fortunate to be one of a group of individuals playing for BHS who placed the team above their own aspirations. In 1980 he was named first team All-District defense, All Central Texas first team defense, and All West Texas first team defense, all in football; and lettered in track. In 1981 he was first team All-State defense, first team All-District defense, All Central Texas first team defense, and All West Texas first team defense, all in football; All-District basketball; and lettered in track.

In 1982 he was first team Parade All American defense, first team All-State defense, first team All-District defense, All Central Texas, first team defense, and All West Texas, and first team defense, all in football. He attended Baylor after also receiving full scholarship offers from University of Texas, Texas A&M, USC, UCLA, Texas Tech, Arkansas, Rice, Houston, TCU, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State.

He transferred to Howard Payne from Baylor, and earned a BS degree in history. He earned a master’s in criminal justice at Tarleton. He attended the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education to be a Texas Peace Officer.

He retired after 28 years with the state of Texas, serving as superintendent at over 5 different Texas Youth Commission facilities. He was Regional Director for TYC, and Director of the Mexia State Supported Living Center for the Department of Aging and Disabilities, where he retired. He was selected in 2017 as the Chief Executive Officer for the Nueces Center for Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities in Corpus Christi. He was been married 34 years to Kellen Doster Davis, a Zephyr graduate, and has two adult children, Katy and Zachary.

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JAN BROWN

Jan Brown, a member of the 1969 Brownwood Lions state champion football team, started his preparation for sports early by taking tap and jazz dancing with Jan Schroeder and Claudette West. He believes dance classes trained his feet to have rhythm and balance, contributing to the foot work that helped him become first team All-State in football at Brownwood High and Honorable Mention All-American in college.

At Hardin Elementary, he played against Hall of Champions inductees James Harris, Rollin Hunter, James (Squirt) Thompson, and Gary Barron along with Richard Griffen. That helped prepare him to play football at the highest level. His accomplishments are Continental Little League baseball Division winners and All-Star team in 1965; All-State football special teams, 1967; All-District defensive end, 1968; All-District, All West Texas, first team All-State, second team Super All-State in football; and MVP in Senior League baseball, 1969; district champion in the 220 with a time of 21.9, and honorable mention All-District baseball, 1970.

He played football at Abilene Christian on a full scholarship, winning the national championship in 1973. He was first team Lone Star Conference and honorable mention All-American as a defensive back, and signed a contract with the newly formed Houston Texans.

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CHANCE PEARCE

Chance Pearce was born and raised in Brownwood, Texas and is a 1999 graduate of Brownwood High School. Chance was a 2 sport varsity athlete but enjoyed any type of competitive sports. Pearce played basketball his freshman year however, he decided to focus on football and baseball for the remainder of his high school years. 

Chance was a 3 year letterman in football, contributing at tight end on offense and serving as the Lions long snapper on punts and field goals/extra points. Chance was part of the Lions football teams that won 2 district championships in ‘96 and ‘98 and had 3 playoff appearances, advancing to the quarterfinals in 1997.  Chance was named 1st team All District tight end after his senior year in 1998.

Chance was a 4 year letterman in baseball. As a freshman, he was promoted to the varsity baseball squad after a few games into the season, ultimately being named the District 6-AAAA newcomer of the year. A leg injury sidelined Chance during his sophomore year, but he returned for his Junior year. He was named 1st team All District first baseman and received All State honors. Chance was among the area leaders in batting average (.480) RBI’s (39) and home runs (7) during a Lions run that landed them as high as the #2 team in the state at one point during the season before making a run to the regional finals. Chance was selected to play in the Junior sunbelt classic in McAlester, Oklahoma where their team from Texas competed against teams from across the southern United States and Canada. As a senior, Chance was again decorated as a first team All District and All State 1st baseman. He and the Lions baseball team continued their success into the second round of the playoffs. 

Off the field, Chance was actively involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was selected by his peers as a participant in Texas Boys State in Austin.

After high school, Chance was invited to walk on to the Texas A&M football as a long snapper.  There was to be an open competition as the Aggies had just lost their starter due to graduation. After a great summer and fall camp Chance was named the starter. At the beginning of his sophomore year, Chance was awarded a full athletic scholarship and went on to start 46 straight games from 1999-2002 for the Aggies earning a spot on Texas A&M’s All Time special teams depth chart.

In 2003, Chance was selected by Houston Texans with the 233rd pick in the 7th round of the NFL draft. After a short stint in Houston, Chance joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004 for the off season and training camps before being released. In 2004, Chance returned to Texas A&M to complete his degree in Agriculture Leadership and Development.  

Chance currently resides in Fort Worth and enjoys coaching and fostering a love for sports into his children and their recreational teams. He and his wife Alicia have a son Cannon (6), and two daughters Carsyn (5), and Callaway (1). He is now in the medical sales industry specializing in orthopedic implant and devices and has worked with Smith & Nephew as an Orthopedic Trauma consultant since 2005. 

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STEVE FREEMAN

Steve Freeman, a native of Roscoe, Texas, was raised in a family deeply rooted in farm and ranch operations, instilling in him a strong work ethic from an early age. After graduating from Roscoe High School in 1977, he attended Abilene Christian University (ACU), where he was a member of the Wildcat Football Team and earned his degree in Agriculture Business in 1981. During his time at ACU, Steve married Jani, and they would go on to celebrate forty-five years of marriage. Their three children, Colby, Kelsi, and Kirby, would all be part of Steve’s journey as he pursued a coaching career.

Steve’s coaching journey began when he was 27 years old in Sweetwater, Texas. Over the years, he would go on to coach at various schools, including Stephenville, Hamlin, Brownwood, Odessa Permian, and Breckenridge. His coaching career was marked by influential mentors, particularly Coach W.T. Stapler and Coach Tom Ritchey, who guided and supported him in his early years.

In 1994, a significant turning point occurred when Coach Stapler was approached about a head coaching position in Brownwood, Texas, and he expressed interest in having Steve join him. This decision had personal significance for Steve as his oldest son, Colby, was about to enter Brownwood High School. The Freeman family, along with the Brownwood I.S.D., was committed to making a positive difference in the Brownwood Lion program, which needed a turnaround.

Under Steve’s leadership, the Brownwood Lion program underwent a transformation, emphasizing work ethic, core values, and discipline. The Alumni, Business, and Community (ABC) support group played a crucial role in providing the financial resources needed to compete with other programs in the state. This support helped accelerate the Lions’ turnaround, and the ABC remained a vital part of the program for fourteen years.

During Steve’s tenure as head coach, the Brownwood Lions achieved four ten-win seasons and advanced to the 4A semifinals once, the quarterfinals twice, and the area game five times. The program’s success was built on the commitment to instilling life skills in the players, not just on-field victories.

Steve was not only dedicated to coaching but also to helping his players pursue college football careers. He and his coaching staff worked tirelessly to connect players with college programs, resulting in many players continuing their football journeys at various levels, including Division 1 and the NFL.

Steve’s impact extended beyond the football field. He spearheaded several projects that honored the legacy of the Lions and brought pride to the community. This included the creation of the Brownwood Lion Football Honor Wall, the Dallas Huston Walk of Champions, and the installation of the stadium’s first Jumbo-Tron.

Steve Freeman’s coaching career was marked by a commitment to excellence, a strong work ethic, and a dedication to instilling values in his players. His impact extended far beyond the football field, leaving a lasting legacy in Brownwood, Texas, and the wider community. Steve’s forty-five-year marriage to Jani, his coaching journey, and his contributions to the Brownwood Lion program all reflect a life dedicated to service and leadership.

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SYDNIE DARDEN

Sydnie Darden, a 2012 Brownwood High graduate, was a four-sport athlete including a three-year letterman for varsity basketball and cross county, and a four-year letterman for varsity softball and track. Sydnie won the Lady Lion Pride of Pride Award both her junior and senior years, bestowed upon the best overall female athlete.

In basketball, during her Sophomore year Sydnie was part of the first Lady Lion team in school history to make the playoffs. The team won Bi-District Championships all three years she was on varsity. She was District Newcomer of the year her first year on Varsity. During her Junior year, she was 2nd team all-district and averaged 4.7 ppg, 2.3 apg, and 3 spg.

During her senior year, she was 1st Team All District and Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Academic All State. Sydnie scored 513 points in her career, had 120 assists, and 194 steals. She ranks in the top 5 of program history in career 3 pointers made, top 5 of 3 pointers made in a season, and top 5 in career steals.

In softball, Sydnie was a four-year letterman and was named Academic All District all four years. She was honorable mention all-district shortstop her freshman year, and first-team all-district shortstop her sophomore year. Sydnie’s junior year she was 2011 Texas Sportswriters Association Class 4A All-State Honorable Mention catcher, District 5-3A Co-Defensive Player of the Year and had a .530 batting average, 2 HRs, 21 RBIs, 34 runs and 36 stolen bases

During her senior year Sydnie became first-team All-District and went on to sign with Hardin-Simmons University in 2012 to continue her softball career. In cross country, Sydnie was a three-year letterman, where she was part of the 4th place district team her sophomore year, district team champions both her junior and senior year and won 5th place team in regionals as a senior.

In track, Sydnie was a four-year letterman and competed in the Texas Relays 4×400 her sophomore and junior years. Sydnie was a regional qualifier in the 400, 800 and 4×400 her sophomore, junior and senior year,s, and competed at state in the 4×400 her senior year. Sydnie was a four-year starter at Hardin-Simmons. She was named Second-Team All-ASC 2015-2016, three-time Academic All-ASC 2014-2016, and still holds the school record for career stolen bases. She still ranks first in most sacrifice hits and stolen bases, fourth in most hits, and fifth in most at bats.

She graduated with her Bachelor’s in Behavioral Sciences, then went on to get her Master’s in Kinesiology as she worked as a Softball Grad Assistant. After achieving her master’s, Sydnie achieved her Doctorate in Physical Therapy where she graduated in 2020 from University of Mary-Hardin Baylor with a 4.0 GPA. Sydnie was named part of the National Student Honor Society and won the DPT Outstanding Student award as well as the Excellence in Graduate Studies Award.

After graduation, Sydnie was a staff Physical Therapist for SporTherapy in Lake Worth for one year until she was offered to be a Clinical Director and help SporTherapy open a new clinic in Mansfield, TX which opened its doors December 5, 2022.