Bio

In the fall of 2001, Josh Crow began as head coach of the South Plains College rodeo team. Up until that time he was in pursuit of making the National Finals Rodeo in Calf Roping. He was the 1999 Resistol Calf Roping Rookie of the Year.

Crow was raised on a ranch in Lovington, NM and attended New Mexico Junior College, where he graduated with an Associate's Degree and was on the rodeo team. He then went to West Texas A&M University to pursue a Bachelor's degree and rodeo for Dr. Kelvin Sharp, who is now the President at South Plains College. Crow made the College National Finals Rodeo both years while under Sharp, in 1997 in Team Roping and in 1998 in Calf Roping. He was the Reserve National Champion in both events in 1997 and 1998. After graduating from WTAMU, Crow then began to pursue his professional career as a calf roper.

"It's a long hard road out there, fortunately for me I was able to travel with one of the best ropers and men in the business, Stran Smith. We were both raised a lot a like. We came from good Christian homes, and knew that no matter how tough things got out there on the road, if we kept our focus on the Lord, there was nothing he couldn't bring us through," Crow says. "We also knew there was nothing we couldn't do if we kept our focus on Him. So not only was it a good year of rodeoing, it was a spiritual uplifting for me. I grew a lot as a man and as an athlete and I want to share what I've learned with my students to hopefully help them to become all they want and desire to be, in rodeo or whatever path they choose. He and I participated in 87 rodeos in 1999, and I was honored to receive the PRCA Resistol Calf Roping Rookie of the Year title. I ended up 21st in the world standings, just out of the Top 15.

"In 1997 I hurt my knee playing basketball back home and I wore a brace," Crow adds. "In 2000, my second year of professional rodeo, my knee started giving me trouble so I came home and had it operated on. Meanwhile, my father was diagnosed with cancer so my injury allowed me to spend some good quality time with him before his death in August of 2001. Kelvin Sharp had become a close friend of the family and saw that this team and I both needed each other.

"I was glad he could recognize this because I was lost at the time," Crow says. "This job and this team have given me a new desire and goal in life, and that is to assemble the best group of young men and women in Collegiate Rodeo. I feel I know what it takes to win, and how to deal with it when you don't. I am just as competitive in helping them as I am at pursuing my own goals as a roper and athlete.

"At South Plains College we pursue academics first and then rodeo," says Crow. "After that we have high standards that the students and  I as a coach must follow and meet. I will stop at nothing to enforce them. This is a wonderful program from the President and staff on down. Our goal here is to 'Improve each students life.' I hope in my area as a coach and instructor that this is being accomplished."