CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Agua Dulce Independent School District has lost a valued and beloved member of their coaching community.
Coach David Chapa unexpectedly passed away on Monday morning before the Agua Dulce cross country team went to compete in the district meet at Premont.
When the student-athletes found out about his passing en route to the meet, they decided to compete in his honor.
"When I got to the last 200, its when you go all out and I just started thinking… he’s not here. When I get to the finish line, he’s not going to be here," junior cross country runner Kristyn Mcguire said.
Their dedication and determination showed on the course. Agua Dulce varsity girls team placed 2nd overall as a team, while the varsity boys placed 3rd. Both teams will be advancing to regionals.
"I'm sure he was really excited. I saw him the day before and he told me how excited he was for us to make it to regionals for the first time since freshman year," junior cross country runner Alexander Cadena said.
53-year-old Chapa was the head cross country coach, as well as the assistant boys track coach and the junior and high school level, with almost 30 years of experience under his belt with Alice, Ben Bolt and Agua Dulce ISD. He was also a junior high math teacher.
The school held a candle light vigil Monday night in honor of Coach Chapa, where hundreds of past and current students as well as staff and community members took time to share memories they had of him.
"He would collect baseball cards and he loved his Diet Dr. Pepper. I remember he would give money to Alex and tell him go to the teachers lounge and get him a Diet Dr. Pepper. It's just those little things like that you remember and you learn a lot about somebody when they’re your coach for so long," Mcguire said.
Agua Dulce ISD said they want to celebrate Coach Chapa's life this school year and many more to come.
"Of course we want to mention him at cross country meets, football games, basketball games, things of that nature. It will come up because he was part of our schools," Agua Dulce Superintendent Richard Wright said.
Agua Dulce has brought in Region 2's crisis team to help offer open counseling services to students and staff at this time.
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