Daughter of McHi coach dies at soccer practice

McAllen High soccer coach Patrick Arney during a playoff soccer game against Cedar Park on Tuesday, April,6,2021 in Calallen Corpus Christi. (Delcia Lopez/The Monitor | [email protected])

EDINBURG— The daughter of McAllen High School girls soccer coach Patrick Arney died at a  soccer practice Tuesday, Arney and other sources confirmed Wednesday.

Moira Claire Arney, 15, died during a soccer club practice in Edinburg. She was 15 and an incoming sophomore at McHi, a letter sent from the district to the community says.

“This hits hard because she is a child of two of our faculty members,” it reads.

Arney’s mother is English-Language Arts Department Chair Deborah Arney. Her brother Liam is a senior at McHi.

The letter describes Moira as “cheerful, hard-working and respectful.”

“She was involved in soccer, swimming, orchestra, theatre and debate,” it reads. “Two years ago, as an eighth grader at Fossum Middle School, she became a state qualifier in the Texas Science and Engineering Fair. Moira was also active with the Holy Spirit Catholic Church.”

A meet the players event scheduled for Wednesday evening has been canceled, the letter said, and grief counselors are available at McHi for students, parents and faculty.

There’s a memorial planned for Moira at the McHi “M” for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The district also announced an account through Meal Train set up to accept meals and donations for Moira’s family, available at https://mealtrain.com/yemwre.

“Again, words cannot express the depth of this tragedy. We are a close-knit family at McHi and our heartfelt condolences go out to the Arney family at this most difficult time,” the letter reads. “We appreciate everyone’s prayers and support.”

Coach Arney said he was not yet prepared to make a comment Wednesday morning.

Luis Gutierrez, RGV FC Toros Youth Academy Club administrator, confirmed a death had occurred Tuesday but declined to elaborate.

“We were there, but we’re not at liberty to discuss information until the family gives permission to do so,” he said.

A statement from RGV FC Toros explains that the soccer club is not affiliated with the academy, which is a separate entity.

“Though the team uses our name, the RGV FC Toros, our soccer club is not affiliated with the Academy,” the statement reads. “As part of our commitment to the community and its youth, we allow the team to use our Club name, at no cost, but they remain their own separate entity, governed by their own board.”

The statement says the death occurred at an academy practice field and not on the grounds of H-E-B Park.

“It has come to our attention that a young lady collapsed yesterday at soccer practice while training with the Toros Academy, and later passed,” it reads. “Our hearts go out to her family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time, and we join them in mourning their great loss.”

Check back later for more information on this developing story.


Monitor Sports Editor Henry Miller contributed to this report.