Coach Maples attended Austin College from 1965 to 1969 where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics. He earned a Master’s degree in Educational Midmanagement from TWU in 1990.

A call to his former high school football coach provided the opportunity for him to begin his coaching career. Southlake Carroll was his “Lucky #7” coaching home, and the apex of his career, where he served the longest and made the closest personal and professional friends.

He coached for over 40 years, with his final 15 years being at Carroll ISD.

He served as an assistant coach for the 1988, 1992, 1993, and 2002 State Football Championship teams. In 1990, he was an assistant coach for the Texas High School Coaches Association North All-Star Football Team.

Coach Maples developed and implemented an intramural athletic program for boys’ and girls’ basketball, girls’ volleyball, and boys’ and girls’ track. In addition to three UIL teams for 7th and 8th grades in football, basketball, volleyball, and track; he added 8 boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, 12 intramural volleyball teams, and ran 4 intramural track meets. He was named the Dillard’s Middle School Teacher of the Month at Carroll Middle School in 1995.

In 2001, Coach Maples initiated the Peer Assistance Leadership (PALs) program at Carroll Middle School which gave middle school students the opportunity to nurture younger students in the district.

His two biggest fans, his wife Trumanell and his son James, continue to stay in the education arena. James currently teaches for Northwest ISD and busily serves as “Coach Daddy” for his 3 lively sons. He and his wife Tara live in Grapevine. Trumanell is a 7-year member of the Slidell ISD school board and an avid Greyhound.

Fred Maples spent the last 6 years of his life following his other dream by living on family land just north of Decatur, Texas, within sight of his grandparents’ now-empty little house and just above a spring that has been running for at least the last 100 years. He ended his “coaching” career by using his ref’s whistle to call up cattle and goats.

Fred Maples had 3 loves – God, family, and sports. And these three loved him right back