Weslaco ISD board extends Villarreal's contract

WESLACO — Tony Villarreal will indeed remain a Weslaco High Panther until at least the 2011-12 school year.

The WISD school board by a 4-3 vote approved a one-year extension to Villarreal’s contract that will keep him as football coach after a year of tension with administration that featured his athletic duties revoked. Villarreal was not present at the meeting, but was pleased with the outcome calling it “perfect timing” as the football season gets going next month.

“I think it was the right thing to do,” Villarreal said. “The administration evaluated all spring long and saw how hard the players and staff worked.”

As for his salary, WISD Superintendent Richard Rivera said last week the board studies all teachers/coaches pay every August and ultimately decide on an employee’s salary. Villarreal is set to make $98,856 under his 2010-11 contract. Should a raise be approved, Villarreal should make over $100,000 in his 2011-12 contract as strictly a football coach.

“Do I want to be a coordinator or athletic director, sure I do,” Villarreal said. “Right now, I’ll be a football coach and be the best that I can be because that’s what my contract says.”

Villarreal hopes everything that unfolded last school year is water under the bridge between him and the administration. Weslaco principal Isidoro Nieto along with Rivera made the recommendation to extend Villarreal’s contract and both noted one of the main goals is for Villarreal to bring a district title to a school that hasn’t been home to one outright since 1991.

“We asked him to communicate better with the administration, principal and key personal and he’s honored that,” Nieto said. “This will give a vote of confidence to him and football program.”

Villarreal has a 35-22 record with Weslaco and is entering his sixth season with the school, which is the longest tenure for a Panthers coach in consecutive seasons since Ruben Elizarde, who coached the school for six seasons from 1985-1990. Jim Hite also coached the Panthers program for six years, but did it in two separate terms (1991-93, 2002-04). With three victories, Villarreal will become the Panthers’ winningest coach since J.D. Centilli, who coached Weslaco to 37 victories from 1965-1972.