Cardenas tapped as coach

By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS

RIO HONDO, TX—Jesse Cardenas was hired last week to be the Lady Bobcats’ volleyball coach.

From the onset, he realized how challenging it’s going to be for him, the coaching staff, and the players to reach the postseason.

Cardenas takes over a varsity program that has struggled mightily the past two seasons and understands that at Rio Hondo, players and fans expect better results.

The Lady ’Cats, in 2022, won more than 10 matches, but in the past couple of campaigns, fans can use one hand to count the combined victories while former coach Julia Breedlove manned the post.

“I am excited to be named head coach for the volleyball team. I know it won’t be easy,” Cardenas said. “It will be challenging to turn things around, but coach (Sofia) Torris and I see potential in the team. It is on all of us to turn things around — coaches, players, and parental support all working together to make it to the playoffs this year.”

Communicating the sport of volleyball in an organized setting through coach and players is non-existent at this point while school is closed during the summer, due to University Interscholastic League rules. But when Rio Hondo ISD Athletics Director Rocky James made the coaching announcement this month official, news of the hiring made its way to the student athletes.

“I have communicated to all the girls through SportsYou app,” Cardenas said, “and few others here and there that I have talked to at strength and conditioning.”

Cardenas is referencing the state-of-the-art weight room that Rio Hondo was given for students to use last month as a recipient of the Iron Sharpens Iron Project. James said athletes from various sports, including volleyball, cross country, golf, and football have all made their way to make use of the Hammer Strength equipment on the property of RHHS next to Bobcat Stadium.

“I think it’s great for all of our student athletes that they get to workout in a new weight room,” Cardenas said. “I believe it motivates them to show up and workout. I can only assume that they are as proud as we all are of our weight room.”

Cardenas’ coaching resume includes cross country at one point and a couple of years of middle school football.

He has been at nearby San Benito and Port Isabel, and the last six years in Rio Hondo. He was assistant coach for the Bobcats’ soccer program four years, and the past two years the head coach of the Lady Cats’ soccer program.

His mind is now focused on making vast volleyball improvements to match up against District 32-3A teams like Lyford and some of the IDEA schools that have winning records and playoff experience.

“Next week, I do plan to talk to any girls we can get to see over the summer skills practice session and for sure talk to returning players,” Cardenas said. “I am basically going to give them our plan of action, our belief in them, and ask for them to be invested in the process.”

Torris will be the cross country team’s head coach.