Community remembers Amarillo High coaching legend Mel Maxfield

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Mentor. Teammate. Legend. Friend. These are just a few of the words used to describe former Amarillo High head football coach Mel Maxfield who passed away on December 11th.

With over 240 wins he’s one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Texas panhandle, but the words used to describe him show he was more than just a great coach. Coach Maxfield led the sandies to 65 wins and eight straight postseason appearances. To this day, his legacy lives on at Amarillo High and beyond.

Maxfield was the winner of the Tom Landry Award in 2016, one of the most prestigious coaching awards given out by the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. His dedication to his players, his coaches, and the game of football was unmatched.

The relationships Maxfield built transcended sports. His daughter went to Tascosa - Amarillo High’s arch-rival - but it was never in question who she’d root for. He was a one-of-a-kind coach who broke records on the field, but whose impacts off the field will stand the test of time longer than any record ever could.

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