Wednesday, January 15, 2025
SPRINGTOWN — Springtown Independent School District inducted James L. Kingrea into its distinguished Wall of Honor Sept. 6, 2024.
Kingrea was inducted onto the Wall of Honor for his record-breaking athleticism, his service to the community and his dedication to the city of Springtown.
Kingrea said he was surprised he was selected to be honored especially because Springtown ISD always honors two people; this year it only selected one.
“They called me and said I had been selected,” Kingrea said. “I asked how many there were and they said you’re the only one this year. So yeah, I was very pleased. I’m proud to know that I was selected.”
Kingrea was born in Terrell in 1946. He and his family moved to Springtown when he was in the second grade, and he confessed that going from Terrell to Springtown was jarring.
Kingrea said growing up, the first sport he grasped onto was football. His siblings and dad were both athletic, so naturally sports came very easily to him.
“My brother — he’s four years older — he was the quarterback on the team his junior and senior year,” Kingrea said. “My dad was very athletic. So, we kind of always followed football. He didn’t have to push very hard.”
Kingrea began his football journey as a starter on the team when he was just a freshman. Kingrea then became captain of the football team in his junior and senior years, and says football really helped his confidence.
“I think football helped me a lot in self-confidence and I guess kind of gave me leadership qualities,” Kingrea said. “Mainly, giving it all I had and trying to urge others to do the same.”
Kingrea was also a track and field star during his high school years. He was a regional qualifier for three straight years and got third place in the state meet as a sophomore. During his senior year, he broke another record for the shotput throw at 54-feet, 6-inches. Surprisingly, Kingrea said he was upset with his performance.
“It was kind of disappointing because I’d gotten mono and I was hitting 58 feet before the season started,” Kingrea said. “And then I got sick, and I kept getting weaker and weaker.”
Kingrea continued to dominate on the field as he earned all-district honors twice in his football career and achieved a record-breaking 130 tackles — a record that lives in infamy in Porcupine history. Kingrea said he aspired to play football in college.
But life took a turn for Kingrea during his freshman year of college at the University of Corpus Christi.
“I played one year in college and broke a bone in my neck and gave it up,” Kingrea said.
After college, Kingrea returned to Springtown. He and his wife decided to come back to the place where they felt at home.
“It was home,” Kingrea said. “It was where I grew up. And it just felt like home.”
Kingrea and his wife reconnected with a lot of friends when they returned. They started to get back into church and started getting more involved in the city.
The first thing Kingrea did was get involved in the Springtown Athletic Booster Club. The club is designed to help support the athletic department of Springtown ISD through fundraisers. Kingrea then became friends with the football coach. Then, the coach called him one day and asked if he would run for the school board.
“I hadn't even thought about it or wanted to or desired to,” Kingrea said. “And then the superintendent called me and said, ‘Jim, we really want you to run on the school board.’ So, I ran and was on the school board for two terms, which were six years. And that was very fulfilling.”
Kingrea then decided he wanted to start coaching athletes. He coached the summer league of track and field. He reflected on his time coaching and said one boy stood out to him.
“We had a shot putter who was a freshman — Floyd Warlow, he was a big guy. He actually won state his junior year and senior year. He always said I was the one that spurred him on to throw the shot and showed him everything I’ve learned. He was a lot better that I was.”
Kingrea has been a Sunday school teacher at Springtown First United Methodist Church where he also served on various committees. Although he didn’t really go to church a lot growing up, he rejoined the church and was baptized. Kingrea said at first, he didn't feel qualified to serve.
“They asked me to step in and do that,” Kingrea said. “Even though I didn’t really feel qualified, I did. I think it’s given me a lot of faith.”
Kingrea continues to support Springtown ISD to this day. He and his wife have season tickets to the football games. Reflecting on all the accomplishments and involvement, Kingrea summed it up in one sentence.
“Commit and stick to it,” Kingrea said.
