Meet the man behind Woodlands Online sports commentary

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - There's no place like home for The Woodlands resident Chance Mock.

A 2000 graduate of The Woodlands High School, Mock was a Parade All-American quarterback for the Highlanders.

From there he went on to play college football at the University of Texas and professionally for the Austin Wranglers in the Arena Football League.

Mock returned to The Woodlands in 2014.

"Coming back was the best thing that ever happened to me," Mock said. "I love this community and the people that make it great. I wouldn't live anywhere else in the world."

Mock is the founder of the community-based radio station WoodlandsHits.com. When he's not running the station, he's hosting coach’s shows and color commentating CISD football games for Woodlands Online.

We sat down for a chat with Mock -- here's what he had to say.

WOL: What are your thoughts as we head into District?

Mock: I think College Park (Cavaliers) has some growing to do, but I know Coach Carson and his staff will have the kids ready for district play. Oak Ridge (War Eagles) is a very young team, but a talented team that Coach Rush has going in the right direction. The Woodlands (Highlanders) is an older team, with more than 70 seniors, and probably has the best defense I've seen them have in the last several years. They have beaten two defending state champions, and won the State 7 on 7 tournament this summer. They've got a chance to do something really special.

WOL: What is it like for you to watch your alma mater team (Highlanders) on the field?

Mock: I have a blast. Just being there on Friday nights, watching the sun go down, seeing the community gather to support the teams. Texas provides a big-time opportunity for the game. Almost everybody, whether on the team or in the stands, will remember those Friday night lights for the rest of their lives. I sure do.

WOL: What was it like going from on the field to on air?

Mock: In Austin, football is king, so it was great. I was with the local ESPN Austin affiliate. I started out doing weekly segments with former Longhorns and that migrated into a one-hour lunch show called the Nooner. It was with one of my best friends, so it was a lot of fun. I had a run on there for about eight months and then an opening came up for an afternoon slot, so I got a Monday through Friday three-hour show with Sean Adams. We did really well in the ratings for the duration of the show, and it provided a great opportunity to work with great people in a great sports town.

WOL: What is the difference talking about sports in person vs. on air?

Mock: Athletics has been such a big part of my life, and I was used to talking about athletics all the time. As a former quarterback at Texas, no matter where you go, the only thing people want to talk about is sports and specifically Longhorn sports. The only difference was that instead of talking with a person on the street, I was talking into a microphone. It's no different than any person sitting and talking about their job.

WOL: What do you enjoy the most about announcing games for Woodlands Online?

Mock: High school sports is such an integral part of the community. It doesn’t matter if your kid plays softball, volleyball, baseball, football, basketball, is in the band, cheerleading or drill team. That's what ties a community together. These kids work hard. Everybody puts in a lot of work to be a part of it, from the players on the field to the support groups that make the games complete. They put in so much time, energy and effort into perfecting their crafts. To be able to bring more of a spotlight to them and share their stories with the community is a whole lot of fun for me.