By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
Rivera’s Ruben Chapa’s college choice was an easy one.
The Raiders’ cross country standout will continue his running career at a familiar place among his former teammates — Bethel University — after making it official during a signing ceremony Friday at Rivera.
Chapa is the sixth cross country athlete from Rivera to run for Bethel and he’ll join five former Raiders’ teammates in the fall, who all run for the NAIA school in Tennessee. It’s been a recognizable pipeline from Brownsville to McKenzie, as Chapa becomes the seventh athlete to continue to run at the collegiate level in Bethel. Jesus Garza of Pace, who was one of the first recruits from Brownsville, is also a part of the men’s cross-country team.
“I’m excited for the opportunity,” Chapa said. “Bethel gives us a chance to compete for another four years and get an education.”
For Rivera coach Arturo Hurtado, it has been a great situation for both sides for the past few years. The long-time coach, now in his 38th year in coaching, went to visit Bethel University coach Brandon Kilburn this past summer. Kilburn was impressed with one of the first athletes that was sent his way and makes sure to keep an eye on Brownsville during each recruiting season. Now in his ninth season at Bethel, Kilburn adds another recruit from Rivera in Chapa.
“It feels great as a coach,” Hurtado said. “(Chapa’s) my seventh runner in the last three years to get signed to Bethel University. The coach was impressed with one of the first runners that we sent there and keeps asking about our kids. He’s a very nice guy and the kids love him … it’s a good fit.”
For Chapa, it’s not as overwhelming to go to an unfamiliar place with so many familiar faces.
“It makes it easier, it’s a new place, but I know the teammates I’ll be running with,” he said. “It will be a smooth transition.”
For now, Chapa is planning to just run cross-country for the school, but he said it was a possibility to also compete for the track & field squad.
The senior cross-country runner already has a plan in place for his studies. Chapa plans to study law enforcement to become a probation officer some day and minor in education. After school, he’d like to serve the country in one of the branches of the military.
While Chapa has yet to visit Bethel University, he intends to go this summer ahead of the fall semester. At least his home away from home won’t be much of a change with so many teammates ready to welcome him to the next level.
The Rivera coach is happy the opportunity has worked out for Chapa and many of his other athletes. Hurtado serves as a contact to Rivera, but also at the other Brownsville schools as well.
“It’s like a family over there,” Hurtado said. “The coach was so happy (with the athletes that have gone there) and that’s why the rest of the guys get recruited. They tell him about the next guys and so on. If I don’t have any runners, I tell him I can get runners from other schools, too. It’s been a great deal.”
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.