Faith Family Academy Waxahachie Names Two New Coaches to  Develop Youth Rugby and Soccer Programs New Club Sports to Begin Competition in Spring 2022

 Faith Family Academy (FFA) is proud to announce that Dondi Cooks and David Flores have been named coaches of the newly formed youth rugby and soccer clubs at the FFA Waxahachie campus. Both bring extensive experience to their positions and are excited to build top-tier programs to compete against local school clubs.

Coach Dondi Cooks II is a Texas A&M Kingsville graduate with a bachelor’s in communications and journalism. Before joining FFA Waxahachie, Coach Cooks spent three years at Mesquite High School (MHS) as head debate coach and communications and public speaking teacher. While at MHS, his great debaters went to consecutive regional appearances and two state finalists. Coach Cooks has over 20 years’ experience as an athlete, including in college, where his team won the Lone Star Conference Championship in 2010. In recent years, Coach Cooks was the head coach for the Waxahachie Tomahawks youth football team for ages 9-10. He played semi-pro rugby for the Dallas Reds Rugby Club for five years and received the Dallas Reds Rookie of the Year award.

“I am very eager to introduce rugby to Faith Family Waxahachie and start competing this Spring,” said Coach Cooks. “The skills the students will learn have been proven to develop camaraderie, engender a sense of self-worth and encourage life skills such as leadership, generosity, respect and loyalty.”

Before coaching soccer at FFA Waxahachie, Coach Flores was the assistant boys’ soccer coach at Waxahachie High School for four years. He is also the founder and director of South City Athletic Club, in Ellis County. Flores graduated from R.L. Turner High School and obtained his B.A. in Education from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Waxahachie. He began his coaching career in college and joined the Indians in 2018 as the goalkeeper coach. He is also the owner of Brownie Books.

“More than 240 million people around the world play soccer regularly according to the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The game has evolved from the sport of kicking a rudimentary animal-hide ball around into the World Cup sport it is today,” said Coach Flores. “It’s one of the oldest sports and it teaches children teamwork, perseverance and decision making.”

“Faith Family is extremely excited to get the Rugby and Soccer programs off the ground in Waxahachie,” said Brandon Thomas, Executive Director of Athletics at Faith Family Academy. “I look forward to collaborating with Coaches Cook and Flores as they blend their coaching experience with Faith

 About Faith Family

Faith Family Academy is an open enrollment charter school district in Dallas, Texas, with a mission to educate, empower, and inspire every child for lifelong success. With a focus on college, career, and military readiness, Faith Family Academy is an “A” rated district by the Texas Education Agency and serves almost 3,000 students on two campuses in Dallas (Oak Cliff) and Waxahachie, Texas.

Signature Programs including EXPLORE360® Adventure Learning, Navy JROTC, championship-caliber Athletics, Two-Way Dual Language, Dual Enrollment College Credit, and Visual and Performing Arts are just a few ways Faith Family Academy puts students first to extend public education beyond the classroom.

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