By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Juan de Dios Garcia’s influence in the evolution of Brownsville soccer is undeniable.
The longtime Hanna boys coach was there from the very beginning in 1983 when soccer started in Texas as a UIL sport. He retired from Hanna after the 2012 school year following 30 seasons of guiding the Golden Eagles, which stands as a record for a soccer coach at one high school in South Texas.
Starting in 2007, he also served as an assistant coach for the women’s soccer team at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College with one season (2013) as head coach. He continues as president of the Rio Grande Valley Soccer Coaches Organization.
“I feel like a 20-year-old man with 42 years of experience (in soccer),” said Garcia, 62, with a smile.
Garcia went 437-206-66 during his time at Hanna and his teams advanced to the state playoffs 20 times. Under Garcia, the Eagles had seven appearances at the regional tournament in San Antonio and made one trip to the UIL state tournament in 1990.
He was inducted into the RGV Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 and was enshrined into the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches’ Hall of Honor in 2012. A native of Matamoros who played soccer professionally in Mexico, Garcia was inducted into the sports hall of fame there in 2005.
Garcia’s impact upon South Texas soccer continues.
Perhaps the greatest testament to Garcia’s status as one of the state’s most respected coaches is the number of his former players who have become successful coaches themselves. They number approximately 20. Garcia has always been an advocate of having his players pursue a college education, and some of them have gone on to become doctors and lawyers.
Jesus Cardenas is one of those former players who became a coach. A 1992 Hanna graduate, Cardenas just completed his third season as girls soccer coach at Port Isabel. He guided the Lady Tarpons to the third round of the playoffs this season after a second-place finish in District 32-4A.
The influence of his former coach at Hanna has stayed with him.
“I was a manager/player for Juan from 1988 to 1992 and had never played organized soccer before then,” Cardenas said. “His idea of playing a short, quick passing game has stayed with me and with probably most — if not all — of his ex-players who became coaches. I remember his passion for the game and how he would come up with game plans and strategies. I got the itch to coach back then thanks to him.
“The other thing he did was to push me and many others to get an education (in college),” Cardenas added. “I do the same with my players and other students. I think all of the coaches in the Valley who graduated from Hanna (and played for him) would probably say the same thing.”
Mario A. Zamora was a standout player under Garcia who graduated from Hanna in 2004.
Zamora just completed his second season as Pace’s soccer coach. This season he directed the Vikings to a second-place finish in District 32-5A and a berth in the Region IV-5A final before coming up short 3-2 in overtime against city rival Porter, the eventual 5A state champion.
Likewise, Garcia has had an impact upon Zamora’s coaching career.
“Juan has been a big influence to me, obviously when I was a player at Hanna and now that I’m a coach,” said Zamora, previously the soccer coach at St. Joseph Academy. “I always give him a call and ask him about things I need to know, and what can I say? He’s the godfather of soccer here in the Valley.
“He taught me how to be a good person inside the field and outside the field,” added Zamora, who played college soccer at Lindenwood University in Missouri. “He is a good one to go to about tactics, rules and everything. He urged me to go for a college education. He’s been a mentor to me.”
Garcia is the first to admit it wasn’t always easy to play for him.
“The ones who played for me went through a lot because I’m practically a perfectionist,” he said. “I’ve always tried to pay a lot of attention to details and I would always tell them, ‘Sooner or later, some of you are going to become a coach, and I don’t want these things to happen to you (as far as not playing the game the way it should be played). I’m pointing them out to you now so you can be successful.’ I wouldn’t let them get away with anything, really.”
There are approximately 20 of Garcia’s former players and assistants who have become coaches. Garcia doesn’t mind sharing his soccer knowledge with them and anyone else who is interested.
“I have coached at different levels and I have a certain amount of experience, and I don’t mind sharing it,” he said. “I am so happy to share my knowledge with my former players and to have them as friends.
“It’s very satisfying to me that they graduated from Hanna and went on to become coaches,” he added. “They continue to improve their knowledge of soccer, and that’s important. Sooner or later, it becomes their time to share their knowledge with somebody else (who will go on to coach). It’s the cycle of life.”
Garcia’s most successful Hanna team advanced to the state tournament at Austin Westlake in 1990. The Eagles were edged 4-3 by Tyler Lee in the Class 5A semifinals following a marathon 22-player shootout when the match remained tied 3-3 after 100 minutes of regulation and overtime.
Four of Garcia’s former players have taken teams to a UIL state final as coaches. They are Lopez’s Amadeo Escandon (2004 and 2009), Sharyland High’s Reveriano Hernandez (2012), Hanna’s Reyes Prado (2013) and Rivera’s Salvador Garcia (2015). Escandon, Hernandez and Salvador Garcia each brought home a state title.
“One of the things I have learned from Juan de Dios is that he always attends soccer clinics and workshops to learn more,” said Escandon, a 1987 Hanna graduate. “With all his years of experience, one would think that he would be content with the amount of knowledge he possesses, however, he is always taking notes and trying to learn more. Just by watching him do that, I have learned that one should always keep on learning more about all aspects of our sport.”
The former longtime Hanna coach said the future looks bright for soccer in Brownsville.
“We are strong in soccer in our city because our foundation is strong (starting with the youth leagues),” he said. “We have so many people helping the teams, including a lot of former players.”
Those former players, now coaches, are happy to carry on Juan de Dios’ winning tradition.
“It’s a great honor to know Juan and especially to consider him a friend,” said Hernandez, a 1986 Hanna graduate. “After all these years, and after his retirement (from Hanna), he’s still involved with soccer in the RGV. His love for the sport and his love for helping people is what I admire most about him. ‘Futbol’ (soccer) and Juan go hand in hand in the Valley. Thank you Juan for everything you’ve done.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess