PALACIOS聽鈥 Aaron Wollam鈥檚 two passions are fishing and basketball.
So it鈥檚 no surprise that fishing and basketball have played an important role in his life.
鈥淏asketball is kind of like fishing,鈥 Wollam said. 鈥淵ou kind of try to figure out what lure the fish wants and feed it to them. Basketball is kind of the same thing. You try to figure out what offense and defense works and then try to go with it.鈥
Wollam will turn his attention to fishing full time when he retires as the girls head basketball coach at the end of the school year.
Wollam, 56, coached his final game Tuesday night at the Palacios gym, as the Sharkettes dropped a 44-30 District 25-3A decision to Hallettsville.
The Lady Brahmas (14-16, 9-5) clinched a playoff berth with the win, while eliminating Palacios (17-15, 7-7).
But the loss was tempered for Wollam, who was honored by his family, friends and former players before the game.
鈥淭he best thing as you get later in coaching, the wins and losses are important, but maybe not as important,鈥 Wollam said. 鈥淕etting invited to weddings of your former players, hunting and fishing with your former players. That stuff is kind of what鈥檚 important now. I鈥檓 just blessed to do what I love for 33 years.鈥
Wollam coached boys basketball at Nixon-Smiley, Tidehaven and Palacios before taking over as girls head coach at Palacios in 2004.
He had an overall record of 489-363, and 429-313 coaching girls, including daughters Shayne and Madelyne.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great ride,鈥 Wollam said. 鈥淚鈥檝e coached some great kids. I never thought I鈥檇 been in Palacios for 25 years, but it was a great place to raise my kids. It鈥檚 a good school district, I coached some great kids here.鈥
Halletsville outscored Palacios 13-0 in the first quarter, and the Sharkettes got no closer than five points.
Alaina Halata, who had four of the Lady Brahmas鈥 seven 3-points, scored 21 points and Addison Matula had 13.
鈥淲e got off to a great start,鈥 Hallettsville head coach Hunter Hlavaty said. 鈥淚 thought our defense played really, really, well. We shot the open shots and they are starting to fall. We鈥檙e hanging our hats on the defensive end for sure.鈥
Hlavaty was happy to make the playoffs, but will miss competing against Wollam.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been great,鈥 Hlavaty said. 鈥淲e had some great battles over the years. I鈥檓 definitely going to miss coaching games against him.鈥
Wollam has been a fishing guide for 22 years and is looking forward to spending more time with his family and on the water.
鈥淚鈥檝e never not worked from when I grew up in Danbury hauling hay, to working at the plant when I was going to college,鈥 Wollam said. 鈥淚 graduated college when I was 22, so that鈥檚 all I鈥檝e known is work. It鈥檚 going to be nice to wake up and not have to go do something. I can do what I want to do.鈥
District 25-3A
Hallettsville 44, Palacios 30
Points: (H) Kasey Harper 7, Alaina Halata 21, Addison Matula 13, Destiny Garza 3. (P) Ava Bowers 4, Jade Scruggs 3, Geenlie Jasek 2, Madelyne Woolam 7, Dazia Alcantara 13.
Halftime: Hallettsville 17-12. 3-pointers: Halata 4, Harper, Matula, Garza, Alcantara 3, Scruggs. Records: Hallettsville 14-16, 9-5; Palacios 17-15, 7-7.
