Former Los Fresnos girls basketball coach Rebecca Littleton will be on the sidelines of a new District 32-6A squad during the 2021-22 season.
Littleton was board-approved to take over the Harlingen South girls basketball program last week, and she’ll also serve as the Lady Hawks’ girls athletic coordinator.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Littleton said. “I’m really thankful for Los Fresnos. It was a great place to work, this was just an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. You hear great things about South, everybody wants to get to Harlingen and it’s a special place. The first couple days I’ve been here, everyone’s so welcoming and it’s a great place to be, and I’m excited.”
During Littleton’s four years at the helm in Los Fresnos, the Lady Falcons went 85-53 and made four consecutive playoff appearances. They won a bi-district title during the ’19-’20 season — their first in five years. Prior to Los Fresnos, she spent five years as a varsity assistant at McAllen Memorial.
As a basketball, volleyball and track & field athlete at McAllen High and Texas Lutheran University, Littleton developed a competitive nature and learned the importance of a person being passionate about what they do. That helped her have a positive impact in Los Fresnos with her coach hard, love hard approach, and she’s ready to bring that coaching style to Harlingen South.
“When I left it was a sad deal, and they were, like, ‘Well, you better watch out, Coach, because we’re going to beat you,’” Littleton said. “I still want them to be successful, but I want to beat them, too. I’m glad that I left that competitive nature at Los Fresnos and I want to win at South now, so let’s bring on that game.
“I know that South has had some huge success in the past and I want to bring that back, bring that hungriness, that fight,” she added. “These girls just need to believe in themselves, and I know I’m that person that can get them to compete in big games. … There’s a senior ball club coming through and they beat (Los Fresnos) twice last year, so I know it’s a good group of kids coming up.”
Having the opportunity to be South’s first girls athletic coordinator “was one of the biggest factors” in Littleton putting her name in the hat for the new position. She’s going to use the role to grow girls athletics as she oversees the various programs.
“Female coaches strive to get positions like this, and they don’t come very often,” Littleton said. “It’s going to be a little bit different, and that was one of the main reasons coming through. I’m excited for the new challenge. Serving as an advocate for girls athletics is something we all want to do, and having that role is huge and I’m excited that Harlingen has implemented that position. I want to help out as much as I can with all programs.”
