VCA athletic director/girls basketball coach Joe Berry calls out a play during the team’s 41-32 TAPPS 2A regional final loss against Amarillo San Jacinto Feb. 22 at Childress High School. Berry recently announced his plans to semi-retire at the end of the 2025 calendar year. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER
For almost half a century, Joe Berry’s constant presence on the sidelines at schools across the Metroplex, including three stops in Wise County, has turned a love of sports into a legendary career.
“I just always liked athletics, and I was always pretty good at it,” Berry said. “I did pretty good in three major sports when I was growing up, which were football, basketball and track. I just got into [coaching], and they got their money’s worth out of you back then. There was no specializing in just one sport.”
Berry closed out his 47th year with his 12th year at Victory Christian Academy. He recently announced his intentions to semi-retire and turn over his responsibilities as athletic director and girls basketball coach by the end of the 2025 calendar year.
“I just know it’s time [but] it’s not a bad thing,” Berry said. “At my age, going through football, basketball and track seasons is a lot, and I don’t like feeling tired. That makes me think that I’m not doing a good job for the kids like I should be.”
The veteran coach credited the relationships he’s built with his former players for his keeping him in the game.
“Looking back, I didn’t realize how important the kids were going to be to me,” Berry said. “It’s more of a calling than it is a profession… When you talk about stepping back and maybe never, ever coaching another varsity game again, that gets overwhelming.”
VCA girls basketball coach Joe Berry talks to his players during a timeout in the team’s 50-32 TAPPS 2A road win over Muenster Sacred Heart Jan. 14. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESENGER
After graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1976, Berry’s coaching journey started at Northwest High School two years later.
He then accepted a middle school teaching position at Decatur in 1980, landing an assistant coaching role with the Lady Eagle basketball team under longtime coach Wayne Thompson before becoming the head coach in 1986.
“When I came to Decatur, I was already burned out,” Berry said. “I did tennis for a couple of years, and then Coach [Bobby] Atkinson got me back into it, and Coach [Wayne] Thompson got me to be his assistant coach for girls basketball. It worked out that the girls’ job came open, and I just kind of fell into it.”
After 15 seasons with the Lady Eagles, Berry switched benches and became the Decatur boys head coach in 2002, holding the position until he retired in 2007.
He came out of retirement a year later to coach at Southwest Christian School in Benbrook, and then later at Harvest Christian Academy in Watauga. Berry became VCA’s only paid coach in 2014, serving as school’s athletic director, as well as head coach for football, girls basketball and track.
“When I came to VCA, I had no idea that I’d be going on my 12th year,” he said. “I thought this was going to be a 2-to-4-year thing, but it turned out to be a godsend for me… We were driving over to Chico to practice in their gym, and I’d have the boys and girls junior high and varsity teams all on a bus together.”
VCA girls basketball coach Joe Berry claps in the closing seconds of the Lady Patriots’ 57-51 overtime loss to Chisholm Trail Academy in the TCAF state championship game Feb. 19, 2024 at Lake Country Christian School in Fort Worth. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER
During his tenure at VCA, Berry has seen the athletic department flourish, both in size and in the number of state championship banners that adorn the wall of the gymnasium. VCA won a total of 10 state titles while competing in the Texas Christian Athletic Fellowship (TCAF) — seven in volleyball (2016-2022), two in track (2023 — combined, 2024 — girls) and football (2023).
Berry was also instrumental in guiding the athletic programs’ transition from TCAF to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) just before the start of the 2024-25 school year.
“Pastor [Allen] Bates had asked me if I thought we could ever make the move,” he said.” I knew we had to grow in order to do that, and now we’re busting at the seams. We’ve got enough kids now that we can compete at that level week-in and week-out. TAPPS has really welcomed us, and I think they see what we bring to the table to their organization.”
At the end of the Fall 2025 semester, Berry will pass the athletic director torch to football and boys basketball coach Nathan Geiger.
“We’re in-house here, and Nathan’s done great at every sport,” Berry said. “He manages his teams correctly, and we feel like he can do the job — he’ll definitely have a full plate.”
VCA girls basketball coach Joe Berry celebrated his 700th career coaching win following a 54-22 home victory over Bethesda Christian School Feb. 6. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER
Berry has also served as VCA’s girls basketball coach for 10 of his 12 years at the school. He celebrated his 700th career victory in a 54-22 home win over Bethesda Christian School Feb. 6.
“It was good to get that milestone, and it’s probably insignificant to anyone other than me” he said. “Would I trade it for a state championship? I would. I’ve been a head basketball coach for 35 years, and that’s every coach’s goal every year. But I was lucky enough to coach in three championship games, so I feel fortunate to get the program to that point. It’s disappointing to not get one, but it doesn’t define my career.”
Last season, Berry led the Lady Patriots (26-6, 10-0) to the TAPPS 2A regional final. VCA suffered a season-ending 41-32 loss to Amarillo San Jacinto Feb. 22 at Childress High School.
“Going into our first year in TAPPS, I knew we’d be OK because we had a pretty senior-laden team,” Berry said. “The older girls knew what I demanded, and our younger girls really stepped up and contributed to the team. We were a little better than most people thought we were, and I honestly didn’t think we would win 26 games.”
Former boys basketball assistant coach Jeremy Bartlett has been tapped to take the reins of the Lady Patriots basketball program in the 2025-26 season, inheriting a program with Landrie Vaden and Keenan McClure returning as key contributors.
“Jeremy’s going to step right in and do a good job,” Berry said. “The kids like him, and they play for him. He knows his stuff when it comes to basketball. He got two daughters that are coming up, and he really wants to coach on the girls side. They’re still going to be competitive, and just like last year, you never know what can happen. He’s got good kids coming up, and the junior program is really talented.”
Berry will still be involved with VCA’s athletic department after he steps down from his current roles, electing to serve as a track coach. He also plans to travel to see his grandchildren’s games.
“I’ve got four grandkids, and the oldest one played basketball this year but I didn’t get to see one game,” Berry said. “I bought an RV two or three years ago, and I’ve spent one night in it. Maybe coaching track in the spring will help to keep me satisfied.”
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