GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
PROGRESO — Progreso High School soccer player Juan Puentes does his best to steer clear of the issues surrounding the Progreso ISD school board. But as much as he tries to focus on only academics and athletics, it’s impossible to not hear the rumblings in the halls or on the news. Talk of litigation, accreditation, bribery and corruption.
This week, Puentes hopes to help lift the community above all of that, if only for a short while. For the first time in school history, Puentes and the Red Ants soccer team have qualified for the UIL Class 4A state tournament. Progreso faces Argyle at 6:30 p.m. tonight in Georgetown.
“I think we’re helping, because we’re putting the Progreso name up high,” Puentes said. “We’re trying to get the community to forget about what’s happening with the school board. We want people not just here, but around the state, to know who we are and how strong we are as a team.”
The Progreso school district remains locked in a prolonged legal battle as the current board of trustees attempts to block the Texas Education Agency from instituting a state-run board of managers.
The TEA held a nearly two-year-long investigation into the district in connection with corruption and bribery charges dating back to 2013 involving four members of the influential Vela family. As part of their findings, the TEA announced a decision to lower the district’s accreditation status to Accredited-Warned.
“In the past three years, all we hear is negative stuff about the school district,” Progreso football coach Tom Salazar said. “I think it’s great that somebody from our athletic department is putting our name in the newspaper and throughout the state in a positive way.”
Salazar said the concerns had minimal affect on Progreso’s athletics programs, but Progreso ISD Superintendent Martin Cuellar said he was sure the entire community felt the trickle-down effects.
Progreso school board president Victor Ramos, who knows some of the soccer players from his days working within the district, told them to try to disregard the issues unfolding around them.
“I said, ‘Don’t’ worry what’s going on,’” Ramos said. “Of course we have the media and this deal with TEA. I told the teachers as well. ‘This is our responsibility. We’ll take care of that. You guys take care of doing good academically wise, and representing the district.’ That’s what these students, and these coaches, and everybody has done in this community.”
Ramos said having some success in athletics makes blocking out the negatives a little bit easier. He also noted the efforts the school board has undergone to regain the community’s trust: things like hosting fundraisers and tailgating for every football game.
Cuellar spoke at the team’s pep rally on Monday at Red Ant Stadium, addressing the crowd that more than half-filled the home stands. He was followed by performances from the Progreso band and cheerleaders and messages from coach Margarito Jimenez, his assistants, and the team captains.
“This generates some buzz, most definitely. Right now, it’s the talk of the town,” Cuellar said. “It raises the overall school climate. The morale of the school and the staff. The community and the district are being portrayed and displayed in a positive manner.”
Salazar said that soccer specifically is an integral part of the Progreso community. On his drive home each day, he regularly sees children playing in their neighborhoods. Puentes remembers discovering the game in sixth grade, when a group of friends invited him to play at Progreso City Park.
The fan support for the Red Ants hasn’t always matched the community interest in the sport, but Salazar said Progreso’s home regional quarterfinal matchup last week against La Vernia was the best turnout he’s ever seen for a soccer game.
Jimenez has noticed the upswing in interest since Progreso started having playoff success last season, and he hopes to this week earn a state title and continue serving as a beacon of positivity for a troubled school district.
“I think our community feels that there’s something special going on,” Jimenez said. “We just want to do our best to bring happiness to the community.”