By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer
Basketball has a special place in the hearts of those in the Torres family. The sport has helped to strengthen the bond between Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Alexa Torres, her brother, Isaiah, and her father, Arnold.
Her father and older brother helped coach her boys & girls club team, and growing up, the trio frequently put up shots on the hoop adjacent to their front yard.
“It was great, because I had two mentors,” Alexa said. “It was easy to respect him as a teacher, and as coach it’s even easier.”
She is The Brownsville Herald’s 2019-2020 All-Metro Newcomer of the Year.
Arnold, the Lady Chargers’ coach and The Herald’s 2019-2020 All-Metro Coach of the Year, started the next chapter of his career in alignment with the next phase of his daughter’s life, as she transitioned from middle school to high school with a familiar face on the practice court, at the dining room table and in her biology classroom.
Alexa’s father said he spoke with his daughter about the possibility of being her coach prior to the start of the season.
“Regardless of when the time came, I just wanted to watch her play,” Arnold said. “Whether it was on the freshman (level) or JV or varsity. … I just needed her to understand that, because there’s that fine line of, ‘Now, I’m your coach,’ and, ‘Now, I’m your dad.’”
Having her dad continue to be a part of her basketball development was greatly beneficial to her as she acclimated to the varsity level.
“It helps me on and off the court,” Alexa said. “I put in work (outside of) practice. Sometimes it might be a little weird because he’s my dad, but I respect him as a coach, and it’s been a great season.”
An injury to a returning senior starter gave the freshman an opportunity to prove she belonged on the Lady Chargers’ top squad.
Alexa’s confidence grew as she eased into her role, and she added she was grateful for the way she was embraced and brought into the fold by seniors Lizzie Garza and Alexandra Parchmont.
“I think they were great assets to our team,” Alexa said. “Their shoes are going to be hard to fill next year, but I think we can do it, and I like this group of girls. I think we could have gone (further in the playoffs), but things (played out differently).”
Alexa’s coach gave her a helpful reminder that she wasn’t alone in her position, and that she needed to depend on her experienced teammates just as much as they would come to trust in her. Arnold noted that while the transition to varsity happened sooner than he had expected, the fact that he was able to lay out the team’s expectations for her made the adjustment happen smoother for both father and daughter.
“When she did come in, the first thing I told her is to understand that we already have people coming back that had already played on the varsity team,” Arnold said. “What I told her was, ‘We need you to play the role, come in and give us minutes and play defense, take the open shot or make the extra pass when necessary.’ And I think she did a good job of doing that.”
She saw an increase in her productivity by the time District 32-5A play came around, averaging 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. She was one of four Lady Chargers to average at least two assists and two steals per contest during the district slate.
Alexa set her career-high with a 11-point performance against Mercedes in Brownsville Veterans’ district opener, including three 3-pointers in a 50-27 win.
The returning varsity letterwinner is committed to being a critical part of the Lady Chargers’ success with a young team coming back for the 2020-21 season.
“I stayed ready and prepared for (any) game situation,” Alexa said. “This season was a great experience, and next year we’re going to have to come stronger and be ready for the playoffs.”