KERRVILLE, Texas – The Kerrville Tivy soccer community has needed some time to heal as they mourn the losses of boys soccer head coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula.
Both were among the victims of the deadly July 4 floods.
KSAT learned on Thursday that the couple’s children — 7-year-old Lyle and 3-year-old Holland — were recovered after their parents were found earlier this month.
For the first time, a player from the Tivy boys’ soccer team shared with KSAT Sports what he’ll never forget about Zunker.
“He was an amazing coach, and more importantly, an amazing man,” Tivy senior Colin Rose told KSAT Sports. “He was always there for us, no matter what it was. I mean, if we were in a difficult situation, like a hard time, he was always there. If kids needed jobs, if kids needed anything, he was there, like, ‘Here, I’ll get you a job.’”
>> Kerrville soccer community grieves loss of coach in Texas Hill Country floods
Rose said Zunker was also a construction teacher at Tivy and was always willing to help.
“He was always there for us, and no matter where you were from, no matter who you were, he loved each and every one of us,” Rose said. “And he was just an amazing, amazing man.”
Kerrville Tivy's boys soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula are among those who died in the Hill Country Flood, the team announced on social media Saturday night. https://t.co/7Hgyj8inuU
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) July 6, 2025
When reflecting on some of his favorite memories with Zunker, Rose shared one of the life lessons that has stuck with him most.
“He always just taught us that there was just so much more, so much more than just soccer and just so much more to life,” Rose said. “His family was so important to him, and I admired him so much for that.”
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