By ROY HESS | Staff Writer
Retirement provides freedom to do whatever one wants.
For Arturo Hurtado, recently retired cross country and track coach at Rivera, it means he continues to adhere to a routine he’s followed for many years.
He still wakes up at 4:30 a.m. daily without an alarm clock, just as he did when coaching.
Hurtado used to go train his athletes prior to the start of the day’s classes during the school year. Now that he’s been retired since Dec. 31, 2018, he goes out and walks six miles.
“I’m a morning person, so I can’t help it,” said Hurtado of his early morning habit. “Now after I go walking, I come back home and lay down again.”
Hurtado, 61, retired after 39 years as a coach and teacher in Brownsville ISD. After two years at Victoria Heights Elementary (1980-82) and six at Porter (1982-88), Hurtado spent the next 30 years (1988-2018) at Rivera, where he coached a number of standout male and female runners.
Among his top state-qualifying runners throughout the years, mainly girls, are Letty Trevino (1984-87 at Porter), Jamie Revuelta (1991-94 at Rivera), Patricia Gonzalez (1998-2001 at Rivera) and Andrea de la Rosa (2015-18 at Rivera).
He has taken boys and girls cross country teams to state and won district championships with them as well.
“I’ve seen that athletes have to be dedicated to be successful,” Hurtado said. “You have to be willing to make sacrifices.
“I’ve always tried to stress God, family and getting an education,” he added. “Sacrificing, working hard and getting a good education is so important.”
The athletes are grateful for his influence.
“It’s been amazing to have Coach Hurtado as my coach,” de la Rosa said last December when she signed a cross country/track scholarship to run next school year for Bethel University in Tennessee. “Coach Hurtado is really understandable, and he’s the nicest person I have ever met. He’s always given me good advice.
“If I did something wrong (while running) at a meet, he would never get mad at me,” de la Rosa added. “He would always give me good advice about what to do the next time.
“I thank him, because without him, I wouldn’t be going to college on a (running) scholarship. Coach Hurtado is a truly amazing person who has helped me a lot.”
Hurtado was himself a standout runner before graduating from Hanna in 1977. He was a member of the Hanna mile relay team (now 1,600-meter relay) in 1977 that set a city record that still stands of 3 minutes, 20.76 seconds. Also at Hanna, he finished 12th at the cross country state meet in 1976.
After high school, Hurtado went to South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, to run on a full scholarship. The South Plains team went to nationals in cross country during Hurtado’s freshman year, and he earned academic All-American honors.
Unfortunately, an injury brought an end to his college running career after one year. He returned to his hometown and graduated from Pan American University at Brownsville in 1980 with a degree in history and physical education. His teaching/coaching career in BISD began soon afterward.
Hurtado learned the value of hard work early in life, and it’s something he has tried to pass on to his athletes and students.
“The several years of hard physical labor that being a migrant worker entailed was a definite motivator as to why I strived so intensely to pursue my education towards a college degree to find a better career for myself,” Hurtado said. “An inclination towards being an educator and a coach has (also) long stemmed from an admiration of my own coaches throughout my time in the public school system and into my college years.
“I was brought up by my maternal grandmother, Maria Galicia Sauceda,” he added. “She believed in a very strict set of ideals. Her manner of raising me was and continues to be a major influence that has shaped my career and personal life. She instilled in me a belief in the value of hard work and a proper education.”
Hurtado said he will always treasure his time in BISD.
“I’m very blessed and grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the kids,” he said. “That’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing.”
The retired coach has purposely kept his distance from the Rivera track program this semester during the current track season because he feels he should “let the coaches do their jobs.”
Still, he has helped out as a meet volunteer at the recent Sams Relays and Brownsville City Meet. He also plans to help out at the upcoming District 32-6A meet.
“I enjoy helping out like that,” he said. “I have other things to do (as a retiree) to keep me busy. I’m doing some improvements around the house. I also have time to watch a good movie or whatever.”
More than anything, Hurtado appreciates the support of his family, particularly his wife, Socorro Vera Hurtado, and the couple’s three sons Arturo Jr., Ruben and Joshua James Hurtado.
“My wife has been my rock for 35 years,” the retired coach said. “My family is my pride and joy.”