MISSION — It has been more than one year since the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 inductees were announced. Their induction ceremony was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Saturday, the wait came to an end, with the inductees officially joining the ranks of the Valley’s best at the 33rd annual induction ceremony at the Mission Event Center.
The seven newest members included Edinburg High football standout Paul Alsbury, San Isidro basketball coach Rolando Garza, McAllen High volleyball coach Paula Dodge, McAllen Memorial football coach Bill Littleton, Mission track and field coach Larry Howell, longtime official Mario Reyna and award-winning sports journalist Greg Selber.
Alsbury, who was a four-sport athlete during his time at Edinburg High, said sports saved his life, adding he would not be here today if it were not for them.
“My father was in prison most of my life — as a matter of fact he died in prison,” Alsbury said. “I grew up getting in trouble often. Sports kept me in line. I remember very distinctly in sixth grade I was in the principal’s office with some coaches and they said, ‘You’re an all-star in everything, but if you continue to get in trouble, you can’t be in sports.’ And, well, sports saved my life. Instead of going in that direction, I went in the sports direction and here I am today.”
Alsbury made a name for himself on the gridiron with the Bobcats, starting at safety and punter for three years. After graduating in 1987, he went to Southwest Texas State on a full scholarship, lettering four years as the team’s punter.
After five years of chasing his dream of professional football — including stints with the New England Patriots, the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football and the Dallas Cowboys — Alsbury decided to follow a new dream of being a coach.
Now, Alsbury’s at Brewster Elementary in Edinburg, where he has served as a physical education instructor for 20 years. During his free time, he’s on the field, passing on his punting and kicking knowledge to the next generation at no charge.
“I believe in giving back,” he said. “I believe in giving back and helping you achieve your dreams in sports just as I did as I stand here today.”
Garza remembers falling in love with the game of basketball on his father’s ranch, shooting baskets into an L-shaped basket welded into the ground. Since then, he knew where he wanted to be.
“I’m from the ranch,” he said. “I was born a cowboy. Not a lot of people know that. I was brought up as a cowboy. I was a part-time rancher in the summers. My weekends were working on the ranch. I grew up playing basketball there at the ranch. That’s how I learned to play ball all by myself. My brother took me to a winter practice as a fourth grader, and that was it. I have him to thank for that.”
Now, Garza joins the hall of fame following a 28-year coaching career at San Isidro High School, serving 25 years as coach of the boys and three years as the girls head coach. He tallied a 607-256 career record before retiring in 2019, including 12 boys district championships, 20 playoff appearances and six area championships.
Saturday’s inductees also included Dodge, who recently retired as the McAllen High volleyball coach. She tallied a 584-280 record during her 25 years at the helm for the Bulldogs. Former Mission High track and field coach Larry Howell, who produced four state champions in the discus and shot put while with the Eagles, was also inducted.
Littleton was the fourth coach inducted Saturday, having recently retired as the McAllen Memorial football coach. He tallied a 155-80 record in his 22 years as a head coach, including nine district titles and 14 playoff appearances.
Also joining this year’s class was Reyna, the longtime official who just completed his 44th year of officiating sports. During his career Reyna has called over 2,000 high school games, including five UIL state championship games and one TAPPS championship.
Selber, began covering sports in 1989, spending time with both the Valley Morning Star and the Edinburg Review. In 2011, Selber was awarded the Putt Powell Sportswriter of the Year by the Texas High School Coaches Association.
With that, the RGV Sports Hall of Fame count rises to 272 total inductees, with no class chosen for 2021 due to the pending 2020 inductees.