Growing up as a migrant worker in the fields, Roy Garcia had aspirations to move on to better things.
The hard labor and experience growing up with athletic siblings gave Garcia the push and aspirations to one day become a coach.
“My (siblings) were good athletes and I really wanted to be like them,” Garcia said. In the cotton fields I would watch cars pass by and I would tell myself that one day I’ll become something better and get out of the fields. I’ll be one of those up this road—someone who can make a difference.
“I prayed every day and asked for God to make me a coach one day.”
Decades, 600-plus victories on the basketball court and a bevy of district titles later, Garcia has become synonymous with winning and for that will be enshrined to the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor this coming Wednesday at the THSCA Hall of Honor luncheon in Houston.
Garcia will be one of five honorees in a class that includes longtime Calallen football coach Phil Danaher, former Alice and Gregory-Portland football coach Bruce Bush, basketball coach Robert Hale and football assistant and track coach Percy Hines.
For Garcia, the nod into the Hall of Honor is just the cherry on top of a fulfilling career.
“It feels great to be honored, because it’s a big organization and I just thank God for it,” Garcia said. “I have loved dealing with kids who wanted to learn and I was blessed to work with coaches who went by the rules.”
Garcia graduated from Los Fresnos in 1961 where he was a quarterback for the Falcons.
He went on to graduate from East Texas State (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) and then joined Los Fresnos in 1971 as head baseball coach and an assistant football coach.
He then followed coach Jerry Tomsu to Mission in the late 70s.
That is where Garcia took his first head coaching job as a basketball coach and an athletic director for 23 years.
In 1993, Garcia was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame.
After retiring in 2003, Garcia returned to coaching, but this time at San Benito where he led the Greyhounds to their first playoff berth and victory in 46 seasons.
In 2007, his career came full circle when he beat his alma mater Los Fresnos for his 600th career win.
In 2010 Garcia joined the PSJA Southwest Javelinas as head basketball coach, where he is now.
There seems to be no end in sight.
“At this point in my life, every day I coach is a gift because you don’t know how long you have left,” Garcia said. “I just love the kids who are willing to work and I’ve been fortunate and I just thank God I have been a success.”