KILLEEN, Texas — On the football field or the battlefield, Coach Maurice Lane inspires his students at Killeen High School every day.
"Most of them call me Coach Lane," said Lane as he waited for students to clear the hallway before starting his 4th-period class.
"I see him pass kids in the hallway and they're like, 'Hey! Coach Lane. What's up Coach Lane,'" said fellow teacher Jessica Burch.
"Coach Lane is the kind of guy you can talk to," said KHS Senior Angel Velezquez. "He shows real care for students. He'll shoot you a smile, give you a tap on your shoulder to let you know there's someone there for you, not just the rest of the eyes in the hallway."
You could say Lane becomes the heart of every family he joins, from his brothers and parents to his football family.
"My life as an athlete helped me get through all the transitions of moving," said Lane. "Being a military brat we moved every three to four years."
Lane's dad's last duty station brought him to Killeen, where Lane graduated high school and began his college football career not too far from home.
"I got a full scholarship to Baylor," Lane said. "I played safety and started all four years."
Lane earned the honor of 2015 Baylor Legends and after a professional football career, he joined the Army Reserves.
"As soon as I got out of training, they sent me to Iraq," Lane said. "I came back right before Christmas and...from there I decided I wanted to come back to Texas."
Lane's coaching career eventually landed him back at his alma mater, Killeen High School.
"When there's teachers that care it makes the students feel more invested in what's being taught and how it's being taught and who it's being taught by," said KHS Senior Julian Rivera.
"He does really well with understanding what kids struggle with and he pushes them toward success," said Burch.
Lane is the inclusion and special education teacher and the high school's strength and conditioning coach, but so much of his legacy will be the inner strength he encourages in his students and athletes.
"Earned not given. I'm a big believer in that," said Lane. "They have to earn that grade. Just because we're an underdog doesn't mean we can't be on top."
Lane says the same kind of village that supported his family growing up is what he is a part of now, offering a high five or a listening ear when students need it.
"PUSH. Pray until something happens," said Lane. "Whether it's good or bad, pray until something happens."
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