Gary Gaines

Overview… a high school coach on the hot seat. As the head football coach at Permian High, Gaines is the highest-paid public employee and most prominent individual in the West Texas town of Odessa. His position entails that he be a politician as much as a coach. He must constantly manage the expectations of the townsfolk, for civic morale is forever tied to the success of Permian Panthers. In a nutshell, it’s state championship or bust. And in Gaines’ case, “bust” probably means finding a new job.

Personality… emotionally intelligent and even-keeled. Gaines is always trying to put things in perspective. He believes the only curses are self-imposed, that there “ain’t much difference between winning and losing except for how the outside world treats you.” He feels many of the same pressures as his players, and as such as he is an exceptional motivator because he can speak their language in an inspirational way.