By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Santa Rosa’s Mike Bermea became one of the most recognizable sub-5A athletes in the Rio Grande Valley because of his relentless work ethic.

Bermea, a safety and wide receiver on the gridiron for the Warriors, is a middle infielder on the diamond. He also ran track and played basketball at Santa Rosa.

“He covered a lot of ground,” Santa Rosa defensive coordinator Pablo De Los Santos said. “He’s a very smart football player. He was also a stud at receiver. With him playing both ways, he understood the routes, how to protect a route, and I think he had maybe seven or eight interceptions.”

Bermea will study criminal justice at Graceland University, a small private Christian university located 80 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. Four of his Warriors teammates — Ethan De La Garza, Ryan Garza, Adam Cavazos and Jose Ruiz — also have chosen the same academic path, and so they will expect to spend plenty of time together both on the field and in the classroom.

The Yellowjackets compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

“We all talked about how it would be better for us to go together,” Bermea said. “It’s going to be way different than here, going all the way to Iowa. … We’ll try to get through it together. We thought that was the best option for everybody.”

Bermea said De Los Santos was another extremely important influence for him in making his college decision.

As for his offseason plans, Bermea said he will devote equal time to baseball and football.

“I’m just trying to get back in shape right now,” Bermea said. “I’m usually working for both sports. I’ll run some routes, and then after that we’ll throw a baseball and get some hitting practice in.”

Warriors baseball coach Tony Leal noted that because of Bermea’s successful basketball and track exploits, he was usually only available to play for the stretch run of the District 32-3A slate. But with the opportunity to focus solely on one sport in the spring, Leal said Bermea has potential to have a breakout year with the Yellowjackets.

“He’s a pretty good athlete,” Leal said. “He’s very talented. His potential is high, so he’s got a lot of upside. He’s a very athletic kid. I saw him make some plays defensively that were unbelievable.”

Bermea racked up all-district accolades in multiple sports during his career at Santa Rosa and said he was grateful for the time he spent playing for the Warriors.

“It’s been a blessing, honestly,” Bermea said. “It’s been a hell of a ride here at Santa Rosa. Especially with these guys, because we grew up together playing every sport. We know what we are capable of, we already have that bond and we know what we can do together. If we can do that up there, too, we can help Graceland out a little bit.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — No matter the setting, Santa Rosa’s Adam Cavazos has always earned the respect of his peers through his leadership ability.

“I’m game-smart, which has helped my coaches,” Cavazos said. “We would do the blocking schemes and everything. The coaches are the ones who helped me with the mechanics of it and prepared me for the next level, watching film and everything.

“I talked to the JV players and helped them out during drills. I was vocal.”

In the fall, he will go on to play baseball and football for Graceland University, where he will major in computer science and minor in sports management and coaching, hoping to become a computer technician and also pursue a career in coaching.

Cavazos is an offensive tackle/defensive end and catcher. He was a unanimous selection at defensive end for the District 16-3A Division II first team, and he was a forward for the Santa Rosa basketball team.

Graceland is a small private Christian university located 80 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. The Yellowjackets compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

Santa Rosa defensive coordinator Pablo De Los Santos said Cavazos has a great work ethic and motor.

“He never got beat on the outside,” De Los Santos said. “He’s a quick kid that made plays, and you couldn’t get around him. He’s very vocal and one of the leaders on the team, and the kids will follow him. He’s very smart and a two-way player.”

Warriors baseball coach Tony Leal said Cavazos is a skilled hitter who can also play first base.

The senior is thrilled at the prospect of continuing his athletic journey alongside his friends and teammates that have played together since middle school.

“We talk in and out of school, we’ve been communicating with each other,” Cavazos said. “That’s how we have chemistry as a team.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Santa Rosa quarterback Jose Ruiz has had a knack for identifying coverages and anticipating movement of defensive players.

So doing the reverse as a cornerback was something that came natural to him.

“(Ruiz) is a guy with a solid, solid track record,” Warriors defensive coordinator Pablo De Los Santos said. “You couldn’t get around him. He’s very smart. … He understood what we were doing defensively, so the game for him was very easy.”

In addition, De Los Santos said Ruiz acted as a quarterback of the defense, directing the secondary and helping them position themselves in the best possible way to make a play.

“He’s a very hard worker, never missed practice,” De Los Santos said. “He’s always doing the right things.”

Also, Ruiz was Warriors baseball coach Tony Leal’s left fielder and No. 2 hitter.

He will play baseball and football and study criminal justice at Graceland University, a small private Christian university located 80 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. The Yellowjackets compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

He was recruited primarily as a corner, but he said he will try out for both positions in practice.

Ruiz acknowledged that living outside the Rio Grande Valley for the first time may be daunting, but he feels it will be a beneficial experience for him and the four Santa Rosa teammates who are also headed to Graceland.

“It is going to be a little hard for us, since we’re not used to being outside the Valley that much,” Ruiz said. “And we’re going to be on our own. But as long as we’re together we’ll have each other to depend on, and hopefully we do great out there.”

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has brought a new set of challenges for Ruiz and this group of Warriors, but he said he is continuing to work out on his own to stay in shape.

The Graceland coaching staff has told its players it still plans to have football camp in August, and the baseball program is allowing its players to utilize batting cages at its facility once they arrive on campus. But in the meantime, Ruiz and his teammates have been left to their own devices.

“We really don’t have much to work with,” Ruiz said. “So we’re definitely working on ourselves and our bodies. It’s been a tough time, but hopefully we get through, and we’ll do the best we can.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Port Isabel’s Tony Villarreal III reported to the school’s campus Thursday for the first time since he departed the program in 1997 for the first day of his second stint as the athletic director and football coach.

“I’m just trying to get my feet wet,” Villarreal III said with a laugh. “I just walked in, trying to look for keys and to open up the place.”

The veteran coach wasn’t quite ready for what he saw when he entered the building for the first time in nearly 23 years.

“To be honest, I was overwhelmed at the facilities they had,” Villarreal III said. “They’re better than some (Class 6A schools). I was, like, ‘Wow.’ … I’m very, very impressed at what they have now as opposed to when I was there (from 1989-1997). I thought we had some good stuff then, but there is a lot of great infrastructure and a great feeling from (superintendent Theresa Capistran and principal Imelda Munivez). They’re doing some great things.”

The challenge now for Villarreal III is to rebuild a football program that has struggled since the departure of longtime coach Monty Stumbaugh to Hidalgo. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has added another layer of difficulty to his bid to turn around the Tarpons.

“It’s a challenging opportunity to put a competitive football team or volleyball team or athletic team on the court or field,” Villarreal III said. “I just love all the kids and all the different types of communities that we have. To me, it’s fascinating to have that kind of an opportunity, and I’m very excited to get started.”

Schematically, Villarreal III is known for his up-tempo Slot-T offense, made famous during his 1994 run with Port Isabel to the state semifinal game.

“Back in the 1990s, most teams used to huddle 10 yards away from the football,” Villarreal said. “Back then, we huddled 3 to 5 yards from the football and were running a fast-tempo Slot-T offense. That was unheard of. … What we do works. It helps our kids be successful.”

He said he plans to reach out to District 16-4A Division II coaches and administrators immediately to introduce himself and begin establishing a dialogue surrounding the pandemic and how the programs may need to respond to it, provided Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the University Interscholastic League give them the green light to play in the fall.

“What we were mastering yesterday, you might not do today,” Villarreal III said. “I kind of coined the phrase, ‘You have to be a champion of change.’ Right now nothing is certain, and if you’re locked into what you did yesterday or two or three years ago, the governor (or the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency) could change it on a whim.”

The UIL’s latest realignment added Corpus Christi West Oso, Ingleside, Robstown, Rockport-Fulton and Sinton into the 16-4A DII fold through at least the 2022 season.

One of the main concerns for coaches, Villarreal III said, is travel that can span up to six hours round trip from the Rio Grande Valley to the Coast Bend area.

When asked about the potential of using neutral site venues with or without fans in the fall, he said the cost of renting a neutral venue would be a concern.

“That could be a consideration,” Villarreal III said. “But a lot of times it’s a losing situation (financially). It’s a little too early, I don’t know (about the feasibility of an alternative plan for the fall).”

After multiple stops across the Valley during his 37-year coaching career and a brief retirement in 2017, Villarreal said he is still in great health and has maintained the “high energy” he believes is necessary to be a coach.

So, nearly a quarter century later, things have come full circle, and the Brownsville native is back where his career took off.

“I have a love for the Port Isabel community, mainly because it’s a special place,” Villarreal III said. “It’s a special place because of all the success and all the traditions. … When I saw the opportunity, I jumped on it. … I’m very blessed and very fortunate to (have earned) the job.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Santa Rosa middle linebacker Ethan De La Garza was one vote away from sharing the District 16-3A Division II defensive most valuable player award.

But as a unanimous all-district selection at his position, the senior certainly received recognition for his hard work as the team’s leading tackler.

“He came to work every day, always with a smile on his face,” Santa Rosa defensive coordinator Pablo De Los Santos said. “He took the coaching well. You’d correct him one time and that was it, that’s the kind of kid he was. He’s just a great kid who understands the game really well.”

De La Garza and four teammates will play football for Graceland University in the fall.

Graceland is a small private Christian university located 80 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. The Yellowjackets compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

De La Garza is eager for the opportunity to come in and turn around a struggling program, and said he has learned from the Graceland coaching staff that the base defensive scheme in which he will play is similar to what he has become accustomed to at Santa Rosa.

He added he aims to compete for a starting spot and aspires to lead the team in tackles.

“I learned a lot this past year from Coach De Los Santos,” De La Garza said. “I used to play defensive end, and he taught me how to play inside linebacker. But there’s still a lot for me to learn, so I’m excited to get the chance to learn a lot more (at Graceland).”

De La Garza said he and his teammates began their plan to attend Graceland via a group text, after weighing offers from Central Methodist University and Oklahoma Panhandle State University.

He will major in criminal justice at Graceland and pursue a career as a police officer. He also briefly weighed joining the military.

“But then this came up,” De La Garza said. “So I wasn’t going to let this (chance to play football in college) pass by.”

He is also a manager under Warriors baseball coach Tony Leal.

“I’m proud of him for sticking in there and taking a chance,” Leal said. “This is a big step for him.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — The Point Isabel ISD board voted Wednesday to recommend longtime coach and Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame inductee Tony Villarreal III as Port Isabel’s new athletic director and head football coach.

He was recognized at the state Capitol in May 2019 by Texas Senator Eddie Lucio Sr., who read aloud Senate Resolution No. 359, which acknowledged his induction into the hall and his lengthy and accomplished career.

Villarreal III’s tenure spans nearly 40 years and includes head coaching stints at Port Isabel, PSJA North, Brownsville Hanna, his alma mater, and most recently at Weslaco High, where he spent 11 seasons.

Since his retirement in 2016 he has been a leadership consultant, serving as a mentor to young coaches across the Valley.

The highlight of Villarreal III’s time at Port Isabel, which began as an assistant in 1989, was a 1994 state semifinal berth. He was named coach of the year in the University Interscholastic League’s Class 3A for that season.

He attended and played baseball at Texas Southmost College and Southern Methodist University.

Villarreal III’s career record stands at 197-107-4. He has 38 postseason victories.

Villarreal III replaces former coach and athletic director Jason Strunk, who left to assume the AD post at Manheim Township High School in Manheim, Pa.

Strunk recorded a 7-13 overall record in his two seasons at the helm of the Tarpons.

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN – Ryan Garza gets asked often what his favorite sport is. The senior was the starting shortstop and a pitcher for the Santa Rosa baseball team, and a corner/wide receiver for the Warriors’ football team.

He and four of his teammates will attend Graceland University in the fall, where he will play both sports.

“People ask me all the time (which is my main sport),” Garza said. “But I would have to say both.”

Garza said he was excited for the opportunity to join childhood friends and longtime teammates Mike Bermea, Adam Cavazos, Jose Ruiz and Ethan De La Garza at Graceland, a small private Christian university located 80 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. The Yellowjackets compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

Like three of his teammates, he will major in criminal justice.

“(Garza) is just a solid kid,” Santa Rosa defensive coordinator Pablo De Los Santos said. “He’ll come and hit you in the face. He’s one of those tough kids, but he’s always smiling. He had very good practice habits every day, and it was good to watch him play every Friday night.”

On the diamond, Garza was the Warriors’ leadoff man, and he shared the infield with double-play partner and second baseman Mike Bermea.

Santa Rosa baseball coach Tony Leal credited his shortstop for having a positive outlook no matter what adversity he faced on the field and being “very cordial.”

Also, Garza was one of the top arms in Leal’s rotation, stepping up after several top pitchers departed following the 2019 season.

“We had to develop some other kids,” Leal said. “Ryan, last year at the end of the season, started throwing really well with very little experience on the mound. He’s gotten better and better.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Five Santa Rosa seniors have found their new academic and athletic home for the 2020-21 season.

Mike Bermea, Adam Cavazos, Ryan Garza, Jose Ruiz and Ethan De La Garza will play football for Graceland University. Bermea, Cavazos, Garza and Ruiz also will play baseball.

Graceland is a small private Christian university located 80 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. The Yellowjackets compete in the NAIA’s Heart of America Conference.

Graceland’s 2019 football roster featured seven Texas natives, and the school’s baseball roster from this season featured just one Texan.

Santa Rosa baseball coach Tony Leal said the academic environment and small class size will help the players navigate the new environment. He added that getting the chance to see more of the world beyond the Rio Grande Valley will serve them well, even if it can be scary for some to leave home for the first time.

“Those kids get along well,” Leal said. “It’s a small town, and they got to experience all of that. If they were at a bigger school, sometimes it’s hard to play (multiple sports). It’s very difficult. Since we’re at Santa Rosa and we’re a smaller district, it helps the athletes more, with the competition.”

A Valley native, Los Fresnos alumnus and right-handed pitcher Andrew Gray, played for the Yellowjackets for four seasons from 2016 to 2019.

Bermea, a safety and wide receiver, is a middle infielder on the diamond. Adam Cavazos is a defensive lineman and catcher. Garza is a receiver and an infielder. Jose Ruiz plays quarterback and the outfield for the Warriors, and De La Garza is a middle linebacker.

“They’ve grown up together, and they’ve played together,” Leal said. “They’ll go through the ups and downs together, and I don’t think they’ll get discouraged that way.”

Santa Rosa football coach Hector Ayala said Graceland was looking to bolster its defense, so Ruiz and Garza likely will play corner for the Yellowjackets.

Ayala and Leal both credited Warriors defensive coordinator Pablo De Los Santos for his help guiding the seniors toward their next destination.

De Los Santos is a Brownsville Hanna alumnus who played basketball and football for Graceland.

De Los Santos contacted one of his former Graceland teammates, an admissions officer at the school, to inform him that he had five players who hadn’t yet signed with a college.

“I told him, I’ve got five good kids who can help you,” De Los Santos said. “My alma mater is struggling, they’ve been bad for the last four years. … He (and the coaches) saw the kids’ highlights, and then said, ‘What can we do?’ And then we got the ball rolling.”

He has made multiple stops throughout his coaching career, including a stint as a graduate assistant at Texas Christian University. From there, he went to Bethany College and Abilene Christian University, then returned to the Valley to coach at Progreso and Valley View.

Mike Burget, the coach at Weslaco East, is another Graceland alumnus who referred De Los Santos to the school.

“I just had really good teachers who steered me the right way,” De Los Santos said. “It was easy for me to play. I never thought about going to college before I started doing really well.”

It was because of his strong group of leaders that he felt compelled to give back as a coach and to demonstrate the mentorship that had been shown to him as a student-athlete.

“I always told myself, ‘If I ever go back, I want to give back,’” De Los Santos said.

The self-described “kid from the barrio” had never left Texas before he came to Iowa, and he envisions a similar level of culture shock for this group of Warriors.

“The most amazing thing about these kids is they’re hard workers,” De Los Santos said. “They’re hard workers, they’ve never missed a meeting, never missed a practice.”

The veteran defensive coordinator wants this year’s class of Santa Rosa players to enjoy the college experience as much as he did and to set them up for success in the future.

“I had a lot of great memories with my teammates,” De Los Santos said. “I still keep in touch with them. I just want them to have good memories and for them to come back to South Texas with a degree.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

There will not be a Rio Grande Valley Coaches Association All-Star football game in 2020.

But the rosters, which were released Wednesday by the RGVCA, are chock full of talented seniors from every corner of the Rio Grande Valley. The organization significantly expanded the rosters for this year because of the game’s cancelation due to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Weslaco High’s Roy Stroman was designated the coach of the East, and Koy Detmer of Mission High was named to coach the West.

“The (RGVCA) All-Star football game has always been an incredible experience for players and coaches,” Brownsville Veterans Memorial coach David Cantu said. “The atmosphere for the game is playoff-like and it’s always amazing to see players from rival schools get along so well and become teammates for a short period. Our staff at (Brownsville Veterans) was fortunate enough to have coached the 2018 team and we found out firsthand how much joy comes from having been selected to participate and how competitive the game can be. The fact that the game will not be played this year will, no doubt, leave a hole in the heart of many Valley football players, but it was a meaningful gesture for the directors of the RGVCA to put rosters together. I am proud of our seniors who were selected and their teammates who made it possible.

The East squad features quarterbacks Dorian Hernandez of District 16-4A Division I champion La Feria and Jaime Galvan of Harlingen High, the District 32-6A winner in 2019.

Other notable signal-callers selected were Brownsville Hanna’s Victor Campos, Brownsville Lopez’s Jose Cruz, Santa Maria’s Nataniel Rodriguez and Jacob Cavazos of Weslaco High.

“The three we had selected were excellent and deserving football players,” Hanna coach Mark Guess said. “All three were a big part of our 2017 playoff team as sophomores, and 2018 district championship and playoff run as juniors. Victor has one of the best arms I’ve seen in my high school coaching career. He has a strong arm and deceptive speed because of his size. Ernest Mendoza has been a great receiver for us for the last three years. All he did was catch the ball when it came his way. Brandon Esteves is the best and most dominant defensive player I’ve had in my career.”

Guess expressed sentiments widely shared by coaches across the Valley about the safety concerns that prompted the game to be canceled but lamented the missed chance for the players to suit up for the final time in their high school careers.

“I hate that the game was canceled, because I really wanted one more opportunity for these guys in high school to be able to put on the equipment and play against the best in the Valley,” Guess said. “Unfortunately, a virus named COVID-19 had other plans for us. But I think it’s great that the RGVCA is recognizing all of these young men for their efforts playing a game they really love.”

Saul Garcia of Raymondville was the lone punter/kicker named to the East roster.

Skill position players on the East roster include Brownsville Veterans wide receiver Elijah Masten and tight end Damian Maldonado, Brownsville Pace running back Dylan Barron, Harlingen High running back Rayden Berry, Port Isabel running back Brayan Medina, Rio Hondo running back Fabian Torres, Raymondville running back Justin Cantu, Port Isabel wide receiver Mac Strunk, Brownsville Rivera wide receiver Elian Hernandez, La Feria wideout Caleb Flores, Los Fresnos wide receiver Nico Valencia and Harlingen South tight end Brady Bennett.

“It’s been a great four years working with (my seniors) all on and off the field and watching (them) grow into great young men,” Rio Hondo coach Rocky James said. “I’m very proud and honored that they all were selected to the RGVCA All-Star team. You all make Rio Hondo football special.”

On the decision to scratch this year’s game, James said, “It’s something that had to be done. It’s sad, but it’s what’s best for these young men.”

Among the several standouts on the offensive line were Raymondville’s Isaiah Gloria, Brownsville Pace’s Rafael Recio and Brownsville Porter’s Adam Gonzalez.

Anchoring the defensive line are Brownsville Hanna’s Brandon Esteves, Los Fresnos’ Leeroy Guerrero, St. Joseph Academy’s Senad Drvisevic, Lyford’s John Hernandez and Andrew Rodriguez of La Feria.

“John was our emotional leader on the field,” Lyford coach Israel Gutierrez said. “He was a two-way starter and helped us set a tone all year long. This selection is well-deserved, and we are going to miss him. I am glad that the RGV athletes are being recognized, and it’s unfortunate that we don’t get to see the best of the best in action one more time. It’s a game the RGV looks forward to every year.”

Other defensive players of note include La Feria defensive back Evan Avila, Rio Hondo linebacker Joey Ortega, Santa Maria linebacker Marcos Sandoval, Brownsville Veterans outside linebacker Angel Rodriguez, Port Isabel linebacker Luis Bustamante, La Villa defensive back Robert Rivera Jr., Port Isabel defensive back Jake Pinkerton, La Feria linebacker Erick Luna, San Benito defensive back Ciro Munoz, Brownsville Veterans linebacker Jason Ambriz and Harlingen South defensive back Kike Alvarado.

“I’m so proud to be their coach for the last four years,” Los Fresnos coach Patrick Brown said of the Falcons’ all-star selections. “I understand why they had to cancel the game, but my heart breaks for all those seniors. All of them are so deserving of the RGVCA selection. I applaud the RGVCA’s hard work and for giving all these seniors a positive memory that will last a lifetime.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

One of the many consequences of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is the increased awareness of the many jobs and sources of small scale economic activity that are vital to the operation of youth sports leagues.

Chief among those who are absorbing the impact of the sports shutdown prompted by the virus are umpires. One of the most prominent among them is Raul V. Martinez, president of Brownsville Sports Park Little League and an assistant to District 24 administrator David Tobias.

There are several reasons one might choose to become an umpire, whether they are a high school athlete looking to learn a new skill and earn some extra cash calling T-ball games over the summer, or they have aspirations of joining the elite fraternity of umpires to officiate a Little League World Series game on either the baseball or softball diamond.

Martinez has been an umpire since he was 14 years old and has worked several jobs before launching his own private investigative agency.

What separates him and Rene Cruz, a Brownsville police officer and veteran softball umpire who has worked in the Brownsville Sports Park and West Brownsville Little Leagues, is their adherence to Little League International’s standards. While they can receive pay for their local games in order to be eligible to work in World Series games in baseball in South Williamsport, Pa., or Portland, Ore., for softball, umpires must volunteer at games that take place outside the Rio Grande Valley, including tournaments and sectional, regional or state competitions to remain eligible to work at the LLWS.

“It’s funny, because this year none of us put in a request for a regional or World Series tournament,” Martinez said. “We had all come to the conclusion that we were going to take time off and spend it with our families. … It would have affected us if we had been saving money to go on family trips.”

Martinez is held to an even stricter standard, as per LLI policy no league official can profit from their own league.

Brownsville has had four other umpires work games in either of their respective sports’ championship tournaments.

“Little League umpires will get paid anywhere from $20 to $25 for a six-inning game,” Martinez said. “Which in today’s world, really isn’t much. Because if I call four games, I’m making (between) $80 to $100.”

In other words, enough for Martinez to take his wife out to dinner and a movie or to use for gas money, but not nearly enough to supplement his income.

“I loved calling games at the Los Fresnos Little League,” Martinez said. “Because they had the best burgers at the concession stand. And that’s what I charged them — a burger, a bag of chips, and a soda.”

Most umpires at the youth or high school level are also teachers, police officers or government workers. Sometimes, they are retirees merely seeking some walking around money.

Martinez said junior umpires typically can make $120 per week, depending on the league. He recalled one in particular who was eager to work as many games as possible to help supplement his family’s income.

“He had to go out there,” Martinez said. “And he was 15 years old. And at 15, you’re not supposed to be working, you won’t get hired at a regular job, but you can be an umpire. So he would work as many games as he could, and he would bring in $120 to $150 a week to support his family.”

The Texas Association of Sports Officials, which contracts out referees and umpires for University Interscholastic League and Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools athletic events, is where many umpires make more substantive income — around $75 per game.

Unlike Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball, neither the Brownsville Little League umpires nor the TASO officials are affiliated with a labor union.

“We are not protected,” Martinez said. “Any income that we were going to make as umpires this year has been lost. For those of us who were (relying on umpiring) as a secondary source of income, we’ve had to adjust.”

When middle school sports were brought under the UIL umbrella, that extended the sports calendar for both baseball and softball teams and umpires, in addition to football, basketball and volleyball in the fall and winter.

As a result, officials would have had an opportunity to continue working on a longer schedule during a normal year. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that school districts would be granted permission to hold in-person graduation ceremonies, the closest approximation to a crowd a sporting event would usually draw in a setting such as Sams Memorial Stadium.

Also, the UIL has turned its focus toward the fall and potentially relaxing its usual summer workout standards to give athletes a chance to acclimate to practicing when the state has declared it safe to do so, according to a report from The Houston Chronicle on Friday.

Tom DeMichele, the secretary of the Rio Grande Valley softball chapter of TASO, is based in McAllen, where normally he works 11 months out of the year calling high school games or adult slowpitch softball games.

There are approximately 100 softball officials in his chapter, all of whom are independent contractors and some of whom officiate youth sports, adult leagues or other TASO-affiliated sports.

“If someone in our chapter was really hurting (financially), I would hope they would let the board know, and there’s a possibility we might be able to help them,” DeMichele said. “But that hasn’t come up.”