HARLINGEN — After a tough few seasons in the competitive District 32-6A, the Harlingen South Hawks have a new staff and a renewed fire to get the program moving in the right direction.
The Hawks will be one of the most experienced teams in the district in 2021, with eight starters returning on offense and six on defense, along with 32 total lettermen. The coaching staff offers some fresh faces, with new coach Israel Gonzalez leading the way and seven new assistants.
A good offseason got all parties on the same page, and now the Hawks are anxious to see how things will shake out this season.
“The excitement’s high and the kids are running around and having a good time, so it’s been a lot of fun,” Gonzalez said. It made the transition a lot easier, the summer strength and conditioning and the sport-specific hour. It gave us some time to implement stuff in the summer, and it’s really helped us to be more prepared for two-a-days.
“They’ve bought in 100 percent, and they’ve been working really hard,” he continued. “They’ve been really consistent. They’ve definitely put in the effort, and I think it’s going to pay dividends in the long run.”
Gonzalez said positions won’t be solidified until scrimmages and even some non-district games have been played and the staff gets a chance to evaluate everyone. But seasoned veterans like Jeremiah Rivera, Marcos Gonzalez, Levi Ince and Xander Casarez have impressed early and stepped up to be the leaders.
The new staff is using the early season practices to emphasize attention to detail. Gonzalez said the Hawks “have adjusted very well” to the changes and shown a will to work that bodes well for the future.
“(I’m happy with) the intensity and the willingness to do what we ask them, the willingness to learn the new system, the willingness to show up and work,” Gonzalez said. “The excitement is around the team and the whole community, including parents and players. We’re really excited about going in a new direction and making a new mark for Harlingen South.”
