Buchanan announces retirement effective in June

For one-quarter of a century, Tim Buchanan has been the face of Aledo ISD athletics.

Today, he announced an end of an era.

According to a release moments ago on the Aledo ISD web site, Buchanan will step down at the end of the school year.

“When we arrived in 1993, Aledo was a place we hoped to stay a few years, but it soon became the place we call home,” Buchanan said. “Thank you to the entire community for allowing me to work in the greatest school district in Texas. It has been a pleasure to serve the athletes, students, administration, teachers, parents and community.”

Aledo ISD Superintendent Derek Citty praised the man Bearcat Nation commonly refers to as “Coach Buc.”

“Coach Buchanan has done a tremendous job working with the student-athletes of Aledo ISD,” Aledo ISD Superintendent Dr. Derek Citty said. “The leadership and vision he brought to our district in 1993 has enhanced and grown the Bearcat tradition. I look forward to the coming years when Coach Buchanan is sure to be inducted into a number of state and national halls of fame.”

After being part of seven state championships as either the head coach/athletic director or athletic director, “Buc” will leave the place he called his office for the past 25 years.

In 2014, with the district growing, Buchanan stepped down in his dual role of head coach/athletic director to focus on his AD duties only. Before that – from 1993-2013 - he compiled an overall record of 227-53-3, winning a Class 3A state championship in 1998 and winning Class 4A state titles in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

Under Buchanan, the AHS athletic program has won three state softball championships, a baseball state title and a boys’ golf state championship.

Bearcats head coach Steve Wood, who took over as top football boss after Buchanan stepped down in the summer of 2014, talked about the impact Buchanan had on the community.

“You see all of those orange A’s (logo stickers) on the back of everyone’s vehicles? That is Buc. That is Tim Buchanan and what he has built in Aledo,” Wood said.