Highland Village native Bill Hodge, now 76, still smiles when he tells the story of how he, his brothers Ken, Presh and Ray, registered for a Lewisville soccer league and were told only one Hodge could play. After a brief exchange, the league commissioner relented, allowing the four brothers to stay together on the field.
From backyard games to college scholarships
The Hodge brothers grew up playing every sport imaginable in the backyard of their Carrollton home while attending R.L. Turner High School. Their father, a former baseball and soccer player, encouraged them from an early age, and even their sisters, Ruth (86) and Ann (75), joined in the fun.
All four earned athletic scholarships. Ray chose basketball at Weatherford College, while Ken and Presh became All‑American wide receivers—Ken at Baylor and Presh at Oklahoma and later UNT. Bill excelled at Trinity University, becoming an All‑American football player and later a Dallas Cowboys training‑camp invitee. He also won a gold medal at the Senior Olympics.
Local league dominance
After college, the brothers reconvened in southern Denton County, joining city and recreational leagues. They captured city championships in volleyball, basketball and soccer, and earned state and national titles in softball and flag football. Bill added back‑to‑back national racquetball titles to the family’s trophy case.
“We weren’t very popular with the local competitors,” Ray recalled, noting that many opponents eventually became teammates and friends. Ken summed up the experience, saying he would have preferred scoring a soccer goal in front of thirty family members over catching a touchdown in front of 35,000 fans.
Family values and lasting bonds
The Hodge brothers credit their tight family bond and faith‑centered upbringing for their success. Their father’s relentless encouragement—hitting fly balls, throwing footballs, and never missing a game—instilled a love of competition and camaraderie.
Even as they now face joint replacements, back surgeries and the inevitable slowing of age, the brothers remain active. Bill still plays neighborhood pickleball weekly, while Presh (77), Ray (79) and Ken (84) enjoy the memories of their shared athletic journey.
“We wouldn’t change a thing,” Bill says, reflecting on a lifetime of sports, laughter and brotherly trash‑talk that continues to echo through the streets of Highland Village and beyond.
Original reporting: Cross Timbers Gazette — read the source article.
