For Jim and Alice Niven, Westlake football has been part of the family for 54 years
Back in 1969, Jim and Alice Niven didn't cruise around town looking for bars, they didn't seek out the hottest movies or concerts, and they didn't explore the city's many trails.
Not on Friday nights, that is.
There was a new high school in their neighborhood. Westlake. The school fielded a junior varsity football team but did not have a home field. The Chaparrals would hit the road for games against teams such as Rosebud-Lott, Caldwell, Marble Falls or any other school that extended an invitation.
The Nivens were "so starved for something to do" they decided to travel to the games. Every game. It didn't matter if they had to travel 10 miles or 200 miles. It didn't matter if it was 90 degrees or freezing. Loyalty has no boundaries.
It has been 54 years since the Nivens started following Westlake football. They have had season tickets for every home game during that time. Jim, 94, and Alice, 87, are ready for the 2023 season to begin. They will be at Chaparral Stadium for the home opener Sept. 1 when Westlake — the No. 1 team in the American-Statesman's annual Central Texas preseason power poll — hosts Converse Judson. Section H, Row 27, Seats 11-14.
"We just enjoy the moment," Jim said. "Back then, we were craving for something to come along out here."
"I just like the action that football brings," Alice said. "It was fun to go. We didn't miss a single varsity game for the first 13 years."
They found each other, then football
Jim has lived in town his entire life — except for the two years he spent with the Marines — and is a graduate of Austin High. He wears a Westlake baseball cap (circa 1971). It was the second hat the school produced. The first one, made of wool, became dessert for some hungry moths.
Alice moved to Austin from Texas City when she was 18. She met Jim when they both worked at Southwestern Bell, and they have been married for 67 years.
When asked about their most vivid memories, their minds race through decades of Friday nights, the amazing games and plays, foul weather, championships, favorite coaches and players, the band and cheer squads, the crowds, the noise, the concession stands, and long drives to road games.
Jim said his favorite memory is actually the first game he attended. Westlake beat St. Stephen's, although he can't recall the score. He did remember that a fellow named Jerry Jackson scored a touchdown on the first play of the game.
Alice will never forget the Class 4A state championship game against Wilmer-Hutchins in 1990 at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco. The temperature dropped to 16 degrees, and sleet was pounding off their umbrellas. After the game, Chaps defensive assistant Derek Long told reporters that the coaching staff spent more time scraping ice off the press box windows than calling formations.
The Nivens both said the 1996 state championship victory at old Texas Stadium ranks high on their list of favorite memories. Quarterback Drew Brees capped a 16-0 season with a 55-15 victory over Abilene Cooper. A few weeks later, Brees was named Class 5A's offensive player of the year.
More recently, the Nivens said Westlake's 23-14 victory over Allen in a Class 6A state semifinal in 2015 was memorable because the Chaps snapped Allen's 57-game winning streak.
As for Westlake coaches, they said they will never forget the late Ken Dabbs. Dabbs, who would become a legendary recruiting director under Darrell Royal at the University of Texas, was Westlake's first head coach. They said Dabbs was so inspirational, both of them felt like putting the pads on and joining the team.
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Turning Westlake football into a family affair
The Nivens' love for football became a family affair when son Gary and daughter Teri were born. Instead of looking for babysitters, they took their kids to the games. Gary is a 1976 Westlake graduate and played on the JV team. Teri graduated in 1980.
"Football was a part of life," Teri Waters said. "I don't remember a time when I didn't go to games. There might have been a few times I'd be at a friend's house instead, but I really don't remember that. I remember sometimes I'd see kids running under the bleachers, but I became a rabid fan."
Gary and Teri said they have always supported their parents' love of the game. Gary joked that it "keeps them off the streets." Jim and Alice always buy four season tickets and invite their grown-up children on occasion.
The first Westlake game Gary witnessed in person was in Marble Falls. He remembers the referees wearing blue jeans and tossing red penalty flags that "looked like they belonged in an automotive shop." He doesn't recall whether the officials wore their customary zebra-striped shirts.
Gary, who lives in Iredell, about 20 miles northwest of Waco, mentioned that loyalty runs deep with his parents.
"My mother is huge on not leaving the stadium until the game is over," he said. "If the boys are still playing, it doesn't matter if the score is 500-0."
Teri said that the family has one outcast. Her son-in-law, Isi Cocker, was a football player at Euless Trinity and Angelo State. Cocker was a member of the Trinity team that defeated Westlake 41-38 in overtime for the 2009 Class 5A Division I state championship at the Alamodome.
"He's been written out of the will," Teri joked.
'1-2-3-Family!'
Football is important to the Nivens, but so is family. Jim and Alice have spent the past 58 years in a home they built that overlooks Lake Austin. Although Jim retired many years ago, Alice is a part-time real estate agent for J.B. Goodwin. They have a "barn" in front of their house that showcases music memorabilia. They had a hearty appetite for Bob Wills and Western swing. The barn is also home to their three antique cars, including a 1913 Model T Ford.
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Last week, Jim and Alice went to Chaparral Stadium take photos with the Statesman. Players and coaches arrived for practice about the time the photo shoot was ending. When head coach Tony Salazar learned about the purpose of the Nivens' visit, he gathered the entire team to meet them.
Salazar told the players about their 54-year journey with Westlake football. About how they traveled near and far to games. About how they will be in the bleachers when the Chaps kick off their home season.
After speaking with the players, the coach invited the Nivens to join them in a huddle. They raised their hands and broke the huddle by shouting "1-2-3-Family!"
It was a fitting way for the Nivens to end their visit. After all, Westlake has been part of the family since 1969.
Inside
Westlake: A closer look, XC
Our preseason Top 10
No. 10 Rouse
No. 9 Wimberley
No. 8 LBJ
No. 7: Georgetown
No. 6: Liberty Hill
No. 5: Round Rock
No. 4: Dripping Springs
No. 3: Lake Travis
No. 2: Vandegrift
No. 1: Westlake
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: The Niven family eagerly awaits its 54th season of Westlake football
