Category Archives: Athletics

HISD schools win NFL Play 60 grants from Houston Texans, Texas Children’s Hospital

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Four HISD schools earned a big victory from the Houston Texans and the Texas Children’s Hospital by winning an NFL PLAY 60 grant that will fund new equipment for P.E., sports, and after-school programs to help get kids moving.

Mitchell Elementary School, Attucks Middle School, and Westbury High School each won a $10,000 grant while Blackshear Elementary School received a $5,000 grant. Representatives from the schools were recognized during the halftime presentation of the Houston Texans game Oct. 2 at NRG Stadium.

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Longtime HISD baseball coach retires after 35 years

Bellaire High School Baseball Head Coach Rocky Manuel announced this week that he will retire after 35 years coaching baseball at HISD.

Rockys RetirementNicks Announcemnt

Principal Michael McDonough, Coach Nick Ozuna, Coach Rocky Manuel

Manuel led the Bellaire baseball team for 25 years. The team went to the state championship tournament three times, while winning the state championship in 1994 and 1999. In 1999, USA Today named Manuel as National Coach of the Year and the Bellaire team was recognized as national champions. Under Manuel’s leadership, over 200 Bellaire baseball players graduated and moved on to play Division I baseball at colleges and universities throughout the country. Seven of those former players continued on to play professionally at the major league level.

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Delmar Fieldhouse construction nearing finish line

For employees and visitors at Houston Independent School District’s Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, watching the new Delmar Fieldhouse take shape over the last several months has been a site to see.

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The 55-year-old athletic complex was demolished in March 2014 to make room for a $35.2 million facility that will be part of the new Delmar-Tusa Athletic Complex. Part of the bond program, the new three-story, 139,000-square-foot facility will serve as a multipurpose facility for the district.

Since construction began, construction crews have been working nonstop completing the installation of underground electrical and plumbing lines, steel beam erection and wall construction.

“We’ve received permanent power to the facility, so that would be considered a major milestone,” said Claude Yoas, Senior Project Manager with Rice & Gardner Consultants, who were hired to provide project management services for the project.

Some building features for the fieldhouse include a basketball and volleyball arena, modern locker and training rooms, and ample athletic storage for the complex’s existing stadium and ball fields.

Despite recent severe weather in Houston, Yoas says construction is still moving forward quickly and is visible.

“The rain hurt us just a little bit, but obviously it would be a delay for any work coming out of the ground,” said Yoas.

The athletic complex is scheduled to be finished this summer and open in time to host fall athletic events.

HISD Board of Education tables plan detailing distribution of funds to schools for 2016-2017

Trustees also approve renaming Reagan High School, new name for Grady Middle School

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education voted Thursday to postpone consideration of a plan detailing how funding will be distributed to campuses across the district for the 2016-2017 school year. Continue reading

#TeamHISD rallies around Sam Houston MSTC as basketball team advances to state semi-finals

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HISD’s own Sam Houston Running Tigers got a raucous send-off Thursday before they head to the state boys’ basketball semi-finals this weekend for the first time since 1988, and fans are being encouraged to show their support by attending Friday’s game or cheering the team on through social media.

Students and staff – along with members of the school’s 1988 state basketball championship team – gathered at Sam Houston Math, Science & Technology Center for the morning rally before the Tigers’ trip to San Antonio, where they will take on the Atascocita HS Eagles (Humble ISD) in the initial 6A division match-up at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Alamodome. The winner of that game will play against either the DeSoto Eagles (DeSoto ISD) or the Steele HS Knights (Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD) the following night at 8:30 p.m. for the state championship.

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HISD athletic activities canceled Tuesday due to pending inclement weather

All Houston Independent School District athletic activities scheduled for today — Tuesday, March 8, 2016 — have been canceled due to pending inclement weather.

The cancellation affects all HISD baseball, softball, and soccer games. Games will be rescheduled for a later date. All other afterschool activities will be left up to individual campus discretion.

HISD officials will continue to monitor weather conditions throughout the night in anticipation of storms and heavy rains that forecasters have said could cause flooding and potentially dangerous driving conditions throughout the city.

The safety of our students and staff – and their families – is always our first consideration when making these decisions. Any additional closures or cancellations will be announced early Wednesday morning, after district officials have had the opportunity to assess weather and road conditions.

For additional updates, please visit www.houstonisd.org, or call the HISD Inclement Weather Hotline at 713-267-1704. You can sign up for HISD text message alerts to receive updates on school weather conditions by texting YES to 68453. You also can follow the district on Twitter and Facebook: twitter.com/houstonisd and facebook.com/houstonisd.

Houston Texans Ambassadors advise football players to ‘hit the books’

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The Houston Texans Ambassadors are a group of former NFL players who represent the team throughout the year by visiting schools and speaking to high school football players, as they did at Worthing High School recently in honor of Black History Month. Jerry LeVias (Houston Oiler 1969-1970) and ND Kalu (Houston Texan 2006-2008) were joined by a surprise guest, current Texan defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. All three players talked about their experiences in the NFL.

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HISD Board of Education to consider resolution beginning process of renaming three more schools

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday is expected to consider a resolution that would begin the process of renaming three additional schools so they better represent the district’s values and diversity.

The resolution would affect Albert Sidney Johnston and Sidney Lanier middle schools, and Jefferson Davis High School. Continue reading

Students formalize college commitments during National Signing Day ceremony

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As a part of National Signing Day, more than 100 HISD students gathered at the Pavilion on the Forest Brook Middle School campus on Feb. 3 to formally announce their intent to play sports for particular colleges or universities this fall. The annual ceremony marks the culmination of years of hard work — both in the classroom and out on the field — and many of the talented athletes present were savoring their moment in the spotlight.

“I have never been to anything like this before,” said Reagan High School soccer player Stephanie Sanchez, who is going to Alcorn State University in Loman, Mississippi. “I am just soaking it all in.”

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HISD student athletes commit to play college sports on National Signing Day

More than 100 of HISD’s top performing student athletes committed to taking their academic and athletic talent to the college level on Wednesday as part of National Signing Day.

The HISD ceremony recognized the students’ formal commitment to continue their education and sports careers at colleges and universities around the country. During the event, students signed symbolic certificates of intent to continue their careers in baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. Continue reading