By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
It’s the end of an era.
However, certainly not by choice, as Port Isabel athletic director/head football coach Monty Stumbaugh is out at Port Isabel.
A year ago, Stumbaugh had to quell rumors of his abrupt departure. He then led the Tarpons to a share of the District 16-4A crown and another postseason berth during the 2016 season.
Recent tweets, including a photo of the job posting from the Port Isabel Independent School District, blatantly indicated that Port Isabel was looking to fill the positions held by Stumbaugh. A special school board meeting is scheduled today at 5:30 p.m. with a closed session slated to discuss personnel matters.
Stumbaugh, who has guided the Tarpons to a 123-64 record, including nine district titles and 14 postseason appearances over 16 seasons, confirmed his contract will not be renewed for the 2017-2018 school year.
“The school board wanted to go in another direction, that’s what I was told,” Stumbaugh said. “It wasn’t because of job performance. That was the only reason given.”
Port Isabel superintendent Dr. Lisa Garcia would only confirm the actions taken by the school district, but offered, “Coach Stumbaugh has been in the district for 16 years and been a very successful coach and has led a very successful athletic department and the district is now interested in going a different direction.
“It’s time to go in a different direction.”
The school district will take applications until Feb. 3 for the positions that Stumbaugh held.
Last year, Stumbaugh said his contract expired in June of 2017. In the interim, he will continue his duties as athletic director until another coach is hired.
“I’m still here as the AD, doing my job until they get someone or I get a job,” Stumbaugh said. “Unfortunately that happens. You can do a good job and people still want to go a different direction. That’s the way it is. It’s happened to many a coach.
“That’s the way it is.”
The majority of Stumbaugh’s family is close to Port Isabel, the only exception being his father, so he’d like to stay close by if possible. It would be hard to pick up and move, but that is the reality in the coaching profession.
“We like it here,” Stumbaugh said about Port Isabel. “We have a home here. There are a lot of good people here, a lot of great memories.”
Port Isabel seemed like the place where Stumbaugh would finish a coaching career that’s spanned nearly four decades. But that success wasn’t enough.
“All good things come to an end, so they say,” he added. “We’ll see what happens or where I go, only God knows. We’ll see what opens up.”
The long-time Tarpons coach admitted he was surprised when told his contract wasn’t being renewed, especially when it seemed to be somewhat of a formality annually in early January after another successful season. But Stumbaugh took the news in stride.
“It happens in the coaching profession,” he said. “I still want to coach. I ain’t retiring, I’m too dang young to retire. I’m not that old yet. I still have a passion to coach. I have a passion to help kids. It’s what I like to do. It’s what I’m good at.
“I’ll see where the road takes me.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.