Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
Houston football took the field wearing black in Saturday’s game against West Virginia, not just for their annual blackout game, but to honor the man who embodied the word written on the front of their T-shirts: Unbreakable.
That very word, #Unbreakable, was the motto of Houston’s beloved strength coach, Kurt Hester, who passed away on the morning of Oct. 25, just hours before the Cougars’ 24-16 upset victory over Arizona State.
“Death is undefeated, but I’ll take it to three overtimes,” Hester said. “That’s strength. There is nothing that you can throw at me that is going to stop me. I’m unbreakable.”
A blackout game to remember
A 45-35 loss to West Virginia, the last-place team in the Big 12 Conference, would typically make the game a complete failure, but this matchup was defined by much more than just the results on the field.
Black was Hester’s favorite color, and on Saturday, it blanketed TDECU Stadium.
Fans filled the stadium wearing black shirts with #Unbreakable printed across the front, while every player’s helmet carried the same word in Hester’s own handwriting.
In the middle of the field, a black cancer ribbon was displayed with his initials on each side, painted boldly for the entire nation to see.
At halftime, the Spirit of Houston marching band spelled “UNBREAKABLE” across the field, symbolizing Hester’s strength and impact on the University.
The Cougars also released a tribute video on the big screen celebrating the legacy Hester left behind, not just on the program, but across the entire city of Houston.
“Kurt showed his unbreakable spirit every day,” coach Willie Fritz said. “He had a tremendously positive influence on every single person in our program and on this program as a whole. Kurt was fortunate enough to love what he did for a living and had an incredibly positive impact on many people across various programs. Kurt had his family, faith and football, and that’s what he cared about.”
The man behind the muscle
Coach Hester was born and raised in Louisiana, and he was always proud to represent his home state.
He grew up in the swamp and was raised outside, working with his family on the boats, attending church and speaking Cajun French.
“You were not a man if you didn’t work on a shrimp boat or in the oil field,” Hester told the Sam Acho podcast.
Although Hester loved his upbringing, he found his fulfillment in life in an unexpected place.
Hester graduated from Tulane University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology.
He quickly discovered his love for coaching during his nine seasons at Louisiana Tech University.
Hester also assisted in numerous local events, including the Manning Passing Academy, which took place annually.
“Kurt was a valuable member of our Manning Passing Academy staff,” former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning said. “The energy and enthusiasm he possesses for teaching were always a welcome addition. His reputation working with elite athletes at the high school, collegiate and professional levels speaks for itself, and I know he will be a perfect fit for coach Fritz’s football program at Tulane University.”
Hester was a perfect fit, and he was a big reason for the program’s best finish in 2023, where the Green Wave won its first-ever AAC Championship and the team finished with 12 wins, including a 46-45 win against USC in the Cotton Bowl.
Due to his exceptional personality and dedication to his players, Fritz recruited Hester to serve as the Director of Strength and Performance at the University of Houston.
A legacy etched in strength
Just weeks before Houston football started spring practice, Hester was working out and felt a sharp pain in his chest.
He then went to the hospital and had X-rays, which revealed a broken rib and something else far more concerning.
Hester had masses on his lungs and liver and was later diagnosed in February with Stage IV melanoma, skin cancer that had spread throughout his body.
But Hester didn’t let the diagnosis define him. He fought with the same grit he demanded from his players.
“I love football and I love training,” Hester said. “And I love showing them, look, you are going to have problems, you are going to face adversity, but you are going to have to suck it up. No matter how bad you think things are, you are going to have to break through it.”
In his final visit to the Houston football facility, Hester gathered with the team one last time. Knowing it would likely be his final message, he delivered a powerful message to encourage his team one final time.
Senior tight end Tanner Koziol joined the Cougars this season, and in such a short amount of time, he got to know coach Hester and developed an unbreakable bond with the veteran strength coach.
“He stared death in the face and didn’t blink,” Koziol said. “He was truly unbreakable. He defined that word by living it. He’s such a man of faith.”
Fritz further echoed that same sentiment after the Cougars’ emotional win over Arizona State.
“Kurt Hester was an unbelievably important person in our football program, and I’ve been with him for a while,” Houston head coach Willie Fritz said. “He’s the best strength and conditioning coach I’ve ever been around, but more importantly, just a really, really fantastic role model for our student-athletes.”
For Hester, it was never about lifting weights; it was about lifting his people to a better place and encouraging them to be the best version of themselves.
“I’ve never been scared to fight for anything in my life, so that kind of helped me out in the long run.”
Hester always fought for his family, his team, his friends and himself.
Sometimes you can’t measure a person’s strength by just the weight of the bar.
His strength was measured in how he handled himself, no matter what hardships came his way, and fought for others until he couldn’t. That’s true strength.
“Unbreakable.” His motto will forever be a part of the University of Houston, and his impact is far greater than words could say.
Kurt Hester wasn’t only trying to raise the bar every day to get the most out of everyone he knew. He was the bar, and forever will be.
Hester is a hero at the University of Houston and will forever be known as “Unbreakable.”
sports@thedailycouagr.com
