More schools means more opportunities in athletics

More students can take part in extracurricular activities now that the La Joya school district has expanded from one four-year high school to three, according to officials with the district and its Juarez-Lincoln High School.

Juarez -Lincoln senior fullback Juan Alvarado was a junior varsity player at La Joya High School last season. If the district hadn't restructured its secondary education facilities this year, he would probably be riding the pine now at La Joya High, he said.

"It is kind of better because there are more chances" to play now, Alvarado said.

Aaron Garcia, coach of the Juarez-Lincoln Huskies, said many talented athletes fell through the cracks when there was only one school with more than 5,500 students.

And as the school searches for an identity of its own, more student-athletes means more student pride in their school.

"I have teachers and students tell me they didn't feel a part of something," Garcia said. "One teacher told me that when it was just one high school and you are working on one of the other campuses, you just didn't feel a part of anything. Now, it feels like this is ours."

Although all La Joya Coyotes teams and clubs had a large pool of students to draw from, in most cases there were only a limited number of spaces, leaving out many students and even making them feel discouraged.

"There are some kids that would not have played at all," Garcia said. "A lot of guys are coming out just because now they have a chance" to get some playing time.

The Juarez-Lincoln volleyball team gained only two players with varsity experience. Lady Huskies volleyball coach Kay Dee Benavides said she wasn't sure she would get many girls to come out for the team because they didn't play at La Joya High.

"I think a lot of them felt left behind," she said.

Benavides, Garcia and other coaches have been pleasantly surprised by the response they have seen, though.

"I don't know if I can attribute it to the fact that we have a new high school or that (U.S. swimming sensation) Michael Phelps did amazing in the Olympics this year, but students are coming out," Juarez-Lincoln swim coach Bethany Hanlon said.

"Every kid is getting an opportunity to participate. There is more room, there is more money, and there are more opportunities. The (district's high school restructuring) is really helping everyone."

Peter Rasmussen covers high school sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448.