West Texas high school football coaching legend Gary Gaines has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers’s, the Alzheimer’s Association of West Texas confirmed Friday.

This summer in Amarillo, he will play a big part in an upcoming charity football game to raise money and awareness to help fight the disease.

Gaines will make a return to the sidelines as part of the Blondes vs. Brunettes charity flag football game — where he will serve as the game’s honorary coach — that has now taken on personal meaning for Gaines and his family.

Despite the diagnosis, Gaines is not yet affected by the disease, and continues to perform his daily work, as well as help the Alzheimer’s Association with preparations for the game, which will take place at 6 p.m. June 10 in Falcon Stadium in Bushland.

"It’s very early-onset," AAWT Area Director Tracy Sommers said. "He will still be at the game and will serve as the guest coach."

Sommers said she spoke with the Gaines family on Friday, and that the family is declining all interview requests at this time after a flood of calls offering support came in following the public revelation of his diagnosis.

"He is aware of everything that is going on," Sommers said.

"Again, this is in the very early stages. He is still working, we met with him and the family Friday," Sommers said.

"The family has a personal connection the disease. They’re a wonderful family, and they want to do everything they can to help prevent this disease and want to promote the West Texas Goes Purple campaign."

Gaines boasts a Hall of Fame coaching career that spanned five decades, including stops at Tascosa High; Odessa Permian, where he and the school gained fame from the book, movie and TV series "Friday Night Lights"; Texas Tech, and Abilene Christian before he retired from coaching in 2012.

Blondes vs. Brunettes hopes to raise $70,000 for AAWT in its seventh year in Amarillo.

Games have been played nationwide since 2005, raising more than $7 million.

"It’s a national event, and it’s a well-known event here in the Texas Panhandle," Sommers said.

"Each year, they try to have a local celebrity as part of it, and this year we are working with the (Gaines) family."

Sommers also said that in recent years the disease has started to affect more and more young people, with one person in Canyon diagnosed with the disease before age 30.

"The disease affects so many young people now," Sommer added.

"And as it’s become more prevalent, people are becoming more aware about it, and that’s part of why this event does so well."

Tickets for the game are $25 and will include admission to the game and a victory party at The Piehl Barn, where there will be food, drinks, and live entertainment.