Experienced Coach Picked to Lead Bronte in First Year of Six-Man Football

BRONTE, TX-- Heading into their first year of six-man football, the Bronte Longhorns have found their man to lead the transition.

Balmorhea assistant coach Jourmain Matta has accepted the position left vacant by Aaron Long, who resigned earlier this academic year.

Matta has coached under legendary high school coach Vance Jones. Jones led the Garden City Bearkats to back-to-back state titles in 2009 and 2010, and the Balmorhea Bears to state title game appearances in 2016 and 2017.

“We were looking for someone who was willing to build a program from scratch,” Bronte Athletic Director Rocky Rawls. “[Jourmain] wants to do that.”

With the Longhorns making the transition to six-man football, it can be easy to get lost in the variations of the two games.

The Longhorns don’t fall into that category.

“Our kids have bought in,” Rawls said. “They’re ready for the next chapter of Bronte football. That’s going to be good for [Jourmain].”

Making a seamless transition to the six-man game is a two-way street, as well.

“Jourmain brings in a lot of 11-man blocking schemes, which will help our kids,” Rawls said. “He’s such a good fit with his knowledge of six-man football. Everybody we talked to and all the signs pointed to him.”

Matta graduated high school from Balmorhea and college from Angelo State University before taking a position at Balmorhea in 2009.

Rawls praised Matta’s small town background and ability to do just about anything asked of him.

“We hold our coaches and our teachers to a high standard,” Rawls said. “We expect them to coach and teach well. We only have three boy’s coaches, so he’s going to do a little bit of everything.”

Matta will be the head football and track coach while also coaching junior high basketball. At Balmorhea, Matta coached football, basketball and shot putters.

Matta is expected to sign his contract with Bronte next Tuesday.

The University Interscholastic League aligned Bronte in Region 4, District 13-1A Division I with Eden, Paint Rock, Robert Lee and Veribest this past February in their biennial re-alignment.