Valley football teams brace for new rivalries after UIL realignment
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The Rio Grande Valley high school football season is about to kick off.
From new matchups and old rivalries renewed, the UIL realignment is changing things up.
Some coaches are remembering how they felt earlier this year when they found out their team's destiny for the next two seasons.
"We're fixing to watch the chaos with all the other guys, right. We get the packet, Coach Longoria sitting next to me opens up...he goes coach we're in a five team district. What?!" Mission Veteran's Memorial Head Football Coach David Gilpin said.
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Other coaches are bracing for quite the tough district in District 15-5A Division One, with seven of the nine teams making the playoffs last year.
"I mean, we went four rounds two years ago, Vets went five rounds deep two years ago, Flour Bluff went five rounds the last two years. It's the toughest district in the Valley, probably South Texas right now," PSJA North Head Football Coach Marcus Kaufmann said.
The coaches say it's not just going to be tough in terms of competition, but when it comes to traveling as well, with teams needing to head up to Corpus Christi for games.
PSJA Independent School District is expecting to spend between $40,000 to $45,000 more on travel expenses for the football teams, cheer, band and drill team this season.
"We're going to spend the extra funds that needed to send them to charter buses. We want to give our kids the best opportunity. For number one, to be successful and number two, to get there comfortably and get there as quick as we can," PSJA ISD Athletic Director Orlando Garcia said.
The excitement of a new season, with new competition, begins. The coaches and players are ready to put on for their schools.
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