2025 Parade Marshal
Todd Sutherland grew up in Moss Bluff, Louisiana…the oldest of 5 children. He attended Sam Houston High School where he was a standout player on the football field and the basketball court. Upon graduation from high school in 1980, he attended Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, Missouri, where he was a member of the men’s basketball team. He later transferred to McNeese State University, where he graduated with a Health & Physical Education Degree and a Minor in Math.
Coach Todd Sutherland has been coaching in Texas for the past 39 years, 32 as a head basketball coach. Sutherland is currently the head basketball/head cross country coach at East Chambers High School, a position he has held since 2014. During that 11 year time period, the Buccaneers have won 6 district championships. The Buccaneers also advanced to the regional tournament 4 times and advanced to the state tournament 2 times. The Buccaneers were state runners-up in 2016 and lost in the state semifinals in 2019.
Prior to East Chambers, Sutherland was the head coach at Hardin-Jefferson for 10 years. The Hawks were district champions 7 times, regional tournament participants 6 times, and advanced to the state tournament 2 times. The Hawks were state semifinalists in 2009 and were state champions in 2007.
Sutherland was the athletic director/head basketball coach at Kountze High School from 1998-2004. The Lions were district champions all 6 years that he was there and also advanced to the regional tournament 4 times. Kountze advanced to the state tournament 3 times over this time frame and captured the 3A state championship in 2004.
Before Kountze, Sutherland was the head basketball coach at West Orange-Stark for one year and finished second in district that year.
Sutherland’s first head basketball coaching job was at East Chambers high school from 1993-1997. The Buccaneers were district champions all 4 years and advanced to the regional tournament 2 times. In 1996, the Runnin’ Bucs finished as the state runner-up.
Coach Sutherland spent five years as an assistant coach at Hardin-Jefferson, with 3 of those were as an assistant to Dr. Charles Breithaupt. Dr. Breithaupt is now the UIL director. In that time, the Hawks advanced to the state tournament twice, winning the
state championship in 1991. Sutherland credits his time with Coach Breithaupt and Hardin-Jefferson for setting his career on the successful route that it took. Most of the things that were implemented over the course of his career were learned at HJ. His overall record stands at 955 victories and 212 defeats with 23 district championships, 2 state championships, and numerous Coach of the year awards. His teams have advanced in the playoffs in all 32 years that Coach Sutherland has been a head basketball coach. His 955 victories currently rank him in the Top 10 in the state for active coaches.
Coach Sutherland is very proud of what he has been able to accomplish on the basketball court, but he is even more proud of his family. He is married to the love of his life, Jenny Ney Sutherland (43 years) and they have 3 grown children: Whitney Harris and husband Eric, Taylor Sutherland and Grayson Sutherland. Also, his pride and joy are his 2 grandchildren…Graham and Heidi Harris.
Coach Sutherland is also very proud of his church family and has been actively serving in his church for many years. In fact, he was a longtime member of Westgate Baptist Memorial Baptist, where he served on the Deacon Board for over 20 years. He is currently an active member of Winnie Baptist Church, where he is also serving on the Deacon Board.
