BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — David Longoria has seen his share of ups and downs as Mission Veterans’ boys track coach since 2009. He’s coached runners and throwers into the UIL state track and field meet for three consecutive years between 2014 and 2016.
Last year’s District 31-5A track meet, however, had to be one of the lowest points of his tenure. The Patriots hosted the meet on their campus, but the boys team barely made a whimper in the final standings. Mission Veterans’ 36 points tied Roma for seventh place out of 31-5A’s nine teams.
“It’s been a challenge, but it’s been a good challenge,” Longoria said. “We were supposed to qualify in the relays, but we hit the dirt early. In that mile relay (during last year’s district meet), none of those boys were graduating. It was a hard thing to swallow, but the challenge was set right there on that day. The boys responded as a group. They’ve done a great job this season.”
It would have been perfectly normal for Longoria’s Patriots to get flashbacks from their poor showing at districts in 2018 this season. Like 2018, Mission Veterans finished in a tie. This time, though, the Patriots scored 101 points as a team, which tied them with PSJA Memorial in second place behind district champion Sharyland Pioneer.
Mission Veterans will compete in the 31/32-5A area meet today at PSJA Stadium in Pharr.
Mikey Garcia is known more for his 1,977 career receiving yards and 20 career receiving touchdowns in football, but he was in the center of the Patriots’ high scoring at the district meet. Along with Landry Gilpin, Andrew Alvarez, Mike Gonzales and Garcia, the Patriots earned a gold medal in the 400-meter relay.
Garcia, a junior, also won first place in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.78 seconds, a personal record. His individual gold medal almost did not take place.
“When Coach (Longoria) first put me in the 200, I wasn’t going to run it because I didn’t think I was ready,” Garcia said. “He asked me, ‘Why are you holding yourself back?’ Because Coach knows when I’m ‘done’ and when I’m ‘done-done.’ He knew I had a little more something in me and he wanted me to let it out in the last race. When you get to that level, you have to just stay tough mentally. You can’t let any of your injuries bring you down. I’ve been injured countless times. You have to grind through it and know that you have your brother and your brother’s got you.”
“One of the bigger parts of being a coach is being somewhat of a psychologist,” Longoria said. “The kids know their bodies are ready to go when they are ready to go. It’s all about getting their mind right. He and Mike Gonzales were getting ready for the 200 and I pulled them aside. ‘Guys, we’ve won as a team. Now this is your opportunity to be the best you can be. Do your best and wherever you fall, you fall.’ Mikey won and he PR’d. It was a good win for us, but the best part is seeing him believe in that now. That’s the best part.”
Alex Galvan doesn’t have the typical height or width of a prototypical shot put or discus thrower. The 5-foot-9, 152-pound junior is, however, tall and heavy on skill. He will compete in the area meet today after placing second in the shot put (49 feet, 9 inches) and third in the discus (147 feet, 8 inches) at the District 31-5A meet.
Galvan often seeks the advice of his older brother, Guillermo, who knows a thing or two about throwing. As a senior in 2014, Guillermo Galvan was a UIL state champion in the shot put at Mission Veterans.
“Everyone tells me that I am the skinniest one, but that honestly gets me excited to face the competition,” Galvan said. “The competition brings out the best in me. It’s not about who the strongest is out there. I feel like it’s more about technique. The competition’s technique is good, too. I just feel like I’m good enough to compete with them.”
“If there’s a student of the game, Alex is it,” Longoria said. “He knows every step, position, arm movement and stance. He’s got great throwing coaches behind him with Simon Mendoza and Isaac Sanchez, but I know a lot of the stuff that comes into his ears comes from his older brother Guillermo. He’s been a big part of helping Alex in the summers and off time. He’s getting great advice from four coaches, essentially. And he soaks it all in. He’s willing to be receptive. That’s what makes Alex unique.”