Joel Baker has been named head football coach at Liberal High School, Athletics Director, Chad Friess announced on February 26, 2026. Baker will also serve as a physical education teacher during the 2026-2027 school year.
“I am thrilled to announce the hiring of Joel Baker as the next leader of the Liberal High School football program,” Friess said. “From the outset, it was clear that Coach Baker has a strong vision not only for building a successful program, but for sustaining excellence over time. He comes from a proud tradition of winning and has a proven track record of transforming programs into competitors.”
Baker comes to Liberal with over three decades of coaching experience with a sound record of building championship-caliber programs across multiple sports, states, and school sizes. In addition to his accolades on the gridiron, Baker is a decorated multi-sport leader who has led programs to multiple championships in soccer, basketball, and track.
“What stood out immediately was his genuine passion for developing young men both on and off the field,” Friess said. “He did extensive research on Liberal prior to his interview, demonstrating his commitment to our school and community before even stepping into the role.”
Baker joins the Redskins following a highly successful tenure at Hobbs High School in New Mexico, where he has served as the Special Teams Coordinator since the 2023 season. During his time at Hobbs, he was part of a staff that revitalized the program, leading the Eagles to three consecutive quarterfinal appearances and a 2025 State Semifinal appearance—the program’s first since 1981. He also served as the head track coach during his time in Hobbs.
“I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead a program with such a strong tradition and championship heritage,” Baker said. “My goal is to continue building on recent success and to return the Redskins to prominence. I believe that Liberal has all the parts necessary to build a successful football program that can have sustained success, win the WAC and see the Redskins make deep runs into the playoffs.”
In 2018, prior to joining the staff at Hobbs High School, Baker served as the head coach at Baird High School in Texas, where he transformed a 1-10 program into a Class A State Football Champion in just two years, all while the team was transitioning between classifications.
He served as the Offensive Coordinator at McMurry University and Special Teams Coordinator at the legendary Odessa-Permian High School, so he is well aware of the expectations and responsibility that come with coaching at a program with a storied past. He and his family are familiar with the area and excited to fully embrace this opportunity.
“As a family, the Bakers are fully vested in education and athletics and we are all looking forward to the opportunity to get to Liberal and help shape the future of Redskin Athletics,” Baker said. “Having coached many years in the Texas panhandle in places like Pampa and Borger I know that our communities have many shared values. Those shared values of faith, family, and football make Liberal an ideal place to live and work.”
His head coaching career also includes a successful rebuilding project at Olton TX, where he led the school to its first-ever State Quarterfinal appearance while also serving as the school’s Athletics Director for four years.
“I am thankful to be working alongside a terrific administrative team in Liberal,” Baker said. “Mr. Richardson and Mrs. Forney value, strongly, the role athletics plays in shaping young men and women and I know that my staff and I will be given the support and all the tools necessary to be successful on the field.”
“We are very excited to welcome Coach Baker to Liberal High School,” Forney said. “He brings a wealth of experience and his beliefs align with what Liberal High School stands for. He values education and mentoring young athletes into successful adults.”
Baker’s 33 year coaching career has been defined by his consistent track record of quick program turnarounds and high-level results across multiple sports and levels of play. Friess believes Baker’s successes in building a winning culture will only add to the Liberal High School football program’s current trajectory.
“I am confident that Coach Baker will build upon our recent success and elevate the Redskins program to another level. His experience in track and field is an added bonus that will positively impact multiple programs. Our community, fans, families, students, and athletes have every reason to be excited as we begin the Joel Baker era at Liberal High School,” Friess concluded.
Coach Baker is a graduate of Sul Ross State University, where he was a four-year letter winner in football. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, he went on to earn a Master’s of Education Degree from Sul Ross. He has been married to his wife, Shannon, for 28 years and they have two adult children, Brenden and Carsann.