Gomez serves as more than football coach at Harlingen

HARLINGEN — Success isn't always measured by wins and losses.

If that was the case, Harlingen head coach Manny Gomez could demand a raise right now.

In three years at the helm of the Cardinals football program, Big Red's exploded to a 29-7 record so far.

Gomez led Harlingen to only the third undefeated regular season in school history.

Harlingen is 12-0 and in the third round of the playoffs for the second straight season.

The Cardinals play Austin Westlake in a Class 5A, Division I regional contest on Friday at the Alamodome.

But winning games is only part of what coaching entails.

The other part?

"He's taught us a lot about responsibility," Cardinal RB Pablo Garza said. "He's been through a lot of what we've been through. He grew up in a not so great environment like most of us. So he knows. He and the other coaches have really taught us a lot of life lessons."

Gomez played for the Harlingen Cardinals in the late 1980s before moving on to a playing career at Texas A&I University in Kingsville.

In 1995, Gomez returned to Harlingen as a defensive assistant.

He climbed up the ladder serving as defensive coordinator a few years before taking over as head coach in 2007.
Gomez, 38, represents the role model most of these young men don't know elsewhere.

"He has a lot of respect for us and the players show that respect back by working hard," DE Mingo Rincon said. "He talks about family first and respecting people and he supports us. I love him to death…he's a great coach."

Gomez will be the first to tell you a coach is only as good as his players.

And this season Harlingen and Gomez have been blessed with superb talent on the defensive and offensive side of the ball.

So coaching the players isn't the hard part. Building strong and lasting relationships, however, is something Gomez will always cherish.

"I spent more time with them sometimes than my two daughters," Gomez said. "For us as coaches, this is like our second family. We spend so much time with these kids. We just hope they make the right decisions when they're on their own."

Gomez described his relationship with his players like one of a father and a son.

The mutual affection is evident.

At any given practice, Gomez will joke with his players and vice versa.

But when it's time to work, his players listen.

The respect is mutual. And that's one reason Gomez and the Cards have been successful so far.

"You know we're 12-0 right now and people might think it's smooth sailing but it hasn't been," Gomez said. "It's more than just X and O's. Some of these kids are dealing with personal life issues.

"To be a great leader you have to be a great listener. Many times we just sit and talk about life. I tell them I love them and they tell me they love me back."

Eladio Jaimez covers District 31-5A for Valley Freedom Newspapers.