Plainview parents, students press district to start high‑school wrestling program

Plainview — Parents, students and area coaches pressed the Plainview Independent School District Board of Trustees on April 24 to move forward with an approved high‑school wrestling program, saying local athletes already compete successfully at club events and need a school‑sponsored path to UIL competition.

At the meeting, parents and students delivered five public comments about wrestling, and outside coaches described how small programs in nearby districts built varsity teams. Superintendent Dr. Sanchez said the district supports creating a wrestling program but described it as a stepwise process that must begin with club development and a confirmed roster before seeking UIL sponsorship.

The push came from parents led by Mona Veda, who said she and other families have been working on the issue for more than a year. “Y’all told us last year that we were gonna get this program,” Veda said during public comment, adding that local fundraisers and donors are ready to help. She told the board Plainview already fields club wrestlers who win at tournaments: “Plainview, 20,000 population, and we don't have a wrestling program.”

Joseph Rios, head boys and girls wrestling coach at Lubbock Cooper High School, addressed the board to explain how other districts launched programs. “My district started this program from the interest of one mother and one student athlete,” Rios said, describing how Lubbock Cooper used an interest email and then built a program that qualified athletes for state competition. He said a small budget and staged development can succeed.

Several speakers cited local coaching capacity and outside support. Michael Pena, assistant wrestling coach at Wayland Baptist University, told trustees Wayland has helped distribute scholarships tied to tournaments and is “on board” to support a Plainview program. Student speakers also urged action: “Wrestling has built confidence in me and taught me discipline and given me a purpose,” Monica Diaz, a Plainview High School freshman, told the board.

Dr. Sanchez described the steps the district is taking: compile a roster across elementary, intermediate, junior high and high school levels; run club competition for one or two years (as the district did when it added soccer); identify coaches, equipment, mats, uniforms and budget items; and obtain board approval for any budget line items required for UIL competition. He said the district will hold an informational meeting for interested parents and community members next Wednesday at 9 a.m. to talk through milestones and financing.

Several parents said they had attempted to work through the athletic director and booster systems and wanted clearer district timelines. Adrian Borrego Navarette said some parents felt leadership had shifted responsibility onto a single coach and urged the board to make the athletic director and district leadership accountable: “No coach should ever make a student feel like their opportunities are limited because of ... personal bias,” he said.

The board did not take formal action on wrestling at the April 24 meeting. Trustees and the superintendent framed the program as requiring budget approval and logistical preparation before UIL entry; Dr. Sanchez repeatedly urged organizers to build a sustainable pipeline of club wrestlers so the district can field competitive boys’ and girls’ squads at the varsity level.

Trustees thanked the speakers for attending and agreed the next step is the district’s planned informational meeting; no vote happened that night. The conversation is likely to return to the board’s agenda once the district and community organizers have a roster and budget plan ready for formal consideration.