THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Ponder ISD Athletics

With over 30 years of national-level club coaching experience and 11 years leading UIL Texas varsity programs, Coach Steve Nichols has built a legacy of excellence on and off the field. A UEFA (Wales) and NSCAA Premier License holder, he was named the 2021 Region II Coach of the Year and served as Soccer Advisor to the THSCA Board from 2010–2013.

His teams have achieved one UIL State Championship, two State Final appearances, three Regional Final berths, and five District titles, along with three Elite Academy League National Finalist finishes. Under his leadership, over 60 players have advanced to collegiate or professional levels, including two Gatorade National Players of the Year and two Dallas Morning News Players of the Year.

Coach Nichols also guided a team that set the National High School single-season record for goals scored (243). A former NAIA soccer and basketball player at Phillips University, he was part of the U.S. National Team Pool (U-16 through U-20) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tulsa.