The Pitmasters
Temple High School BBQ Team enjoys recipe for success
By TONYA WARREN | Photos courtesy of ERIC LARSON, Temple ISD
There are some local wildcats on the prowl that are focused and hungry. Although they move stealthily through the area with focus and fortitude, you don’t have to worry about hiding your children and small pets. These young wildcats have tasted success, not with people or pets, but success that comes from hard work and winning high school barbecue competitions.
Temple High School faculty adviser and culinary arts teacher Margaret Fyffe initially learned high school barbecue teams were becoming a big cross country hit through her professional meetings and workshops.
“I wanted to try a different culinary outlet, and I knew my students would be up for the challenge,” she said.
At the initial meeting two years ago, to gauge student interest in forming a team, 25 students showed. Not for the faint of heart, once students learned the time commitment and hard work required for success, interest waned to five who decided they were up for the challenge.
The Pitmasters, the team’s name chosen by its inaugural students last year, finished 16th in the High School BBQ State Championship last spring, a feat that qualified them for nationals. The five-member team smoked other teams by earning second place in the National High School BBQ Association National Championship last June in Hutto.
Senior Jordan Magana and Junior Reece Medrano, both returning members from last year, have been instrumental in fostering a sense of teamwork and feeling of belonging for new members Joey Deleon, Reginald Fields and Sebastian Hargrove. While other high schoolers might find camaraderie on the gridiron, stage or UIL events, these teens bond over pit smoke, chunks of protein, secret sauces and more. Full of pride and hopefulness, the team eagerly presents a beautiful plate of barbecue before a discerning panel of judges, hoping they’ve nailed a winner.
Joking and ribbing one another helps these teens bond, but make no mistake, they’re quick to share all they’ve learned through being on the barbecue team together.
“I’ve learned a lot about communication,” Medrano said. “Things can get really stressful at competitions, so communication is key.”
Magana said he’s learned a lot about teamwork and people’s personalities. Teammates laughed as Hargrove admitted cooking and eating free food is a big perk of being on the team. Fields appreciates all that he’s learned about the craft and learning to work with different people.
“I’ve always loved cooking,” Deleon said, “Being on the Pitmasters team has really brought out that love.”
No doubt, these teens work hard, from practice every Sunday before competition, to loading up three smokers, tents and other items needed for a successful competition. No matter the weather, the competition will go on.
“That competition last June, it was so miserably hot,” Fields and Reece both said.
Coach Joe Medrano, Reece’s dad, has himself scored big in barbecue championships. His respect and care for the team is evident in his communication and teaching methods.
“The best part of this is being able to teach kids the art and technique of smoking and grilling proteins,” he said.
He also admitted to having a soft spot in his heart for being able to coach his son, and enjoys this special time together.
Allison Medrano, Coach Medrano’s wife and Reece’s mother, also has an important role with the team. In addition to her professional job as a Temple High School counselor, she and Joe provide the house for Sunday practice, she cooks breakfast, washes dishes, buys the practice meats, and anything else needed to help the team be successful. Getting to be with the team outside of school hours is really great, she said.
“My favorite part is watching five kids who are so very different come together and become a team that works so well with each other,” she said.
She admitted a great part of competitions is looking at the shock and awe on the team’s faces when they’re announced as the winning team.
It’s no picnic spending hours every Sunday learning fire and pit management, qualities to look for when selecting a protein, and waking up around 4:30 a.m. on competition days. However, this mighty team of five teenagers will build on what they’ve learned thus far in this tasty craft: excellent communication skills, teamwork, and patience.
They are eager to smoke other teams at the state competition in Burnett on May 4, and hopefully advance to the national competition in Branson, Mo., June 7-10. Going to the national competition, the whole team agreed, would be the highlight of it all, knowing their long hours and hard work would give them a taste of victory at the next level.
“No matter what happens,” the coach said, “these kids are winners.”
