“War Hawks Find A Way” is a central rallying cry for athletics at McMurry University. We use it on the field during challenging games, and it also defines the spirit of perseverance that animates our coaches and athletics administration. So when the director of intercollegiate athletics position was vacated last year, McMurry administrators began searching for a new athletics director who would “find a way” to keep the momentum going.
Fortunately, the right person for the job was already embedded in War Hawk culture, and he’s done a phenomenal job leading the program since he took the helm.
Larry Dockery, who had been serving as director of athletic operations, was named interim athletics director in June 2023. Last fall, “interim” was removed from Dockery’s title, and he took full reign of the athletics division. “Coach Dock,” as he’s referred to by our student athletes, hasn’t looked back since.
Commitment has been a huge part of Dockery’s life, dating all the way back to his playing days in arena football. And he was introduced to McMurry very early in his career.
“I actually came here to play arena football for the local Abilene Rough Riders team. My try-out actually happened at McMurry,” Dockery says. “I got to play for about four years there.”
After his tenure as the quarterback for the Rough Riders, Dockery transitioned to coaching in the Arena League before deciding to bring his expertise to college football. In 2014, he joined McMurry University as the wide receivers coach for the struggling War Hawk football team. He then moved into operations, a role that prepared him to become the head of the athletics division. Dockery attributes his success in this new role to his ability to relate effectively with students, faculty, and fellow administrators.
“It’s always been an open-door policy with me,” Dockery says. “Sometimes athletes come in, and we have tough conversations. But I love the power of presence. Just being there for them. Because that’s kind of where the magic happens. And I get to work with some phenomenal people, too! That definitely helps.”
Dockery directly oversees a staff of over 35 coaches, trainers, and support staff, and he’s tasked with managing each of the 20+ individual men’s and women’s sports under the McMurry Athletics banner. And he has big plans designed to take things to the next level.
“I want to continue to upgrade facilities, because that helps with recruiting. And academics… That is my number one priority.”
It can be difficult at times for student athletes to balance the incredible workload created by committing to both a strenuous sport and a complex four-year major. But Dockery acknowledges how important it is to build relationships with his athletes to get them to understand that their coursework should always be at the forefront of their minds.
“I always tell them to utilize their resources,” Dockery says. “We have phenomenal resources at McMurry, whether it’s our faculty, tutors, or the S3C Center. It’s not easy doing everything on your own, so why not take advantage of the great resources available to you?”
Personal relationships as the catalyst for life – this guiding principle from McMurry University’s core values inspires Dockery’s zeal for his new role as athletics director, and it’s easy to see why. He points to relationships from his own life that motivated him to explore administration, and he’s equally respectful of the relationships he’s developed across campus. To Dockery, the people are his favorite part of McMurry.
“It just always comes back to the people – the coaches, the people in the community, our leadership staff at the cabinet level, our President, our alumni, our great donors. It’s just phenomenal people who are very dear to my heart. I love McMurry.”