Home-Field Advantage

Former Professional Athlete Lucas Wacha Coaches Local Athletes
By Jennifer Jordan

photo by shane darby

When it comes to sports, Lucas Wacha has earned his stripes. Raised in Texarkana in a sports-loving family, he played baseball, basketball, and football in youth programs offered by American Legion, Boys and Girls Club, Dixie Baseball, and PGYA. Lucas honed his athletic skills playing football and baseball at Pleasant Grove High School. As a member of PG’s state-winning baseball teams, he was awarded district and all-state Most Valuable Player twice. Lucas was also recognized as defensive Most Valuable Player for Hawk football. He took his talent to college, playing football for the University of Wyoming, earning spots in the top 10 in Wyoming tackles history, as well as the Wyoming all-decade team for 2010–2020. Lucas also played professionally in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, in the Canadian Football League for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and in the XFL for the Tampa Bay Vipers.

Lucas was a star linebacker for the University of Wyoming football team. submitted photo

Lucas’ training outside of Texarkana led him to realize that our community was missing an incredible opportunity: a dedicated sports training facility. “I would go to train in different places, such as Las Vegas, Nevada, in my off-season of professional football,” he commented. “I would see all these training facilities that the kids and adults had the opportunity to go to. I never had something like this here in Texarkana when I was growing up.” Lucas wanted to give back to the community that raised him. He wanted to provide a professional sports training program in Texarkana. In November 2021, that dream became a reality with the opening of Wacha Sports Resolution.

Wacha Sports Resolution is located downtown at the intersection of Texas Boulevard and 5th Street. Although Lucas did not specifically target downtown as the location, it has become an ideal spot. “Downtown has worked well,” he said. “We have had kids come from all different schools. It’s like the center point for all the surrounding areas.” 

“We want to reach as many adults and kids and help them reach their full potential. We are here to help you maximize yourself in the best way possible.” submitted photo

Lucas and his co-trainer, Kodi Morriss, train adults as well as children in kindergarten through 12th grade. “I train adults in the morning through lunch and then kids in the afternoon. I train HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts that combine strength, cardio, and muscular endurance,” Lucas explained. “With the kids, I train sports-specific movements. We work on strength, mobility, agility, and speed.” Kodi, a former U.S. Marine, trains adults all day. “She has a variety of different training methods,” Lucas said. “Kodi works with strength, endurance, cardio, and rapid-style circuit training. We train clients for around one hour, Monday through Friday.”

Former U.S. Marine Kodi Morriss is Lucas’ co-trainer. She works exclusively with adult clients. photo by shane darby

To support the Boys and Girls Club, Lucas, alongside his siblings and parents, hosted their first community sports camp at Wacha Sports Resolution in January 2024. “My brother and sister [Michael Wacha and Brette Wacha] and I all grew up playing sports at the Boys and Girls Club. When the opportunity presented itself to hold a fundraiser, it was a no-brainer for us,” he said. “None of it would be possible without our parents [Tom and Karen Wacha] and how much hard work they put into making sure the camp was run to the best it could be.” About 250 kids attended the camp, learning a variety of skills, and benefiting from training provided by the Wachas as well as several professional and Division I athletes who volunteered their time. The Wachas plan to make it an annual camp. “Giving back to the community where we grew up means a lot to us,” Lucas said. “It gives us hope that we can reach kids that are in need. We hopefully will continue to grow and reach many foundations that are in need in the future. The third annual camp will be held in January of 2026. The camp will consist of picking two different sports for boys and girls: football, baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, and volleyball. All boys and girls are welcome.”

Lucas with his parents, Tom and Karen Wacha, at Kauffman Stadium, where his brother, Michael, is a starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. submitted photo

It is obvious that Lucas cares about youth sports in Texarkana, given his dedication to growing Wacha Sports Resolution. “Hopefully the gym will continue to work with great athletes and will continue to raise the competition of sports in Texarkana. Right now, 32 college athletes and four professional athletes have chosen to come work out at Wacha Resolution,” Lucas said. Youth athletes also train regularly and can participate in seven week-long summer camps. “Kodi and I will continue to build the best place for adults and athletes to train. We want to reach as many adults and kids and help them reach their full potential. Everyone’s ceiling of fitness, athleticism, and heart are different. We are here to help you maximize yourself in the best way possible.” In the same vein, Lucas is doing just that by giving a professional’s time and talent back to his community.