GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
Longtime Valley football coach Mario Peña said he is retiring from his position at Mission High at the end of the year, but added he will likely continue coaching in a different school district following a one-year hiatus.
Peña reached his decision Monday, at least temporarily ending a 37-year coaching career that included 20 seasons as the head football coach at La Joya High, San Benito and Mission.
“I am not done coaching,” Peña said. “I just felt that right now, this was in my best interest. … I still have a passion for the game, so as long as I have that passion, I will continue to look at coaching.”
Peña said the move made sense from a personal and financial perspective. The Teacher Retirement System of Texas requires him to sit out a year before pursuing a job in a different district, Peña said.
The 2015 season was especially trying for Peña, who had to take on more responsibilities due to medical issues within the coaching staff as Mission finished 4-6, missing the playoffs with a 2-4 district record.
“I’m very intense, and I’m not going to change who I am,” Peña said. “So I think it might be good for me to step back, see how I feel away from football. If I feel, ‘You know what? I need to get myself back in.’ Then I’ll do so. I still feel that I can definitely produce. I feel I can make an impact somewhere.”
In his 20 years as a head coach, Peña amassed a 112-95-3 overall record, highlighted by a 12-1 season at San Benito in 2004 and a 9-2 season at Mission High in 2012.
A former All-Valley Coach of the Year, Peña went 36-36 in his six years at Mission.
He was always known for his aggressive, blitzing defense, which typically ranked near the top of the district, but said he will most remember the relationships he’s developed and the family members he’s been able to coach with over the years.
During the past two seasons, his son, Mario Peña Jr., has worked with him to coach Mission’s linebackers. He also worked alongside his older brother, Roy, during his time at La Joya High.
“The many coaches that I’ve had an opportunity to work with,” Peña said. “The camaraderie and friendships that I have made with the staffs I’ve been involved with. And the thousands and thousands of young men that I’ve had a chance to coach and hopefully impact their lives in a positive way.”