Page 34 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2023 - Online Magazine
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Senior
Senior
Richard Ortiz a coach. Coach Ortiz knew
how to push you to the
Lessons in while making everything
limit (and then some more)
a teaching moment by
Persistence giving examples of how
this mattered in life beyond
sports. Every day was
another lesson about life
for each of his players. He
By John Curry convinced each of us that
we could do anything as
long as we put our minds
ociety has created to it.
a stereotypical picture of Mexico before coming to LISD. He
Scoaches as men in short spent his years at Irons coaching Coach Ortiz has quite the
polyester shorts with angry boys’ athletics and teaching wood resume to back up his coaching
whistles yelling at athletes to shop. experiences. He has coached a
“GET ON THE LINE!” While During shop class, we learned not top ten NBA draft pick as well
this image is not always wrong, only the specifics of measuring as several young men who later
there is always more to the story. and manipulating wood into a became national champions, and
My middle school coach was desired shape, but also how to many athletes who have gone on
not rocking the shorts, and he work through problems. When to play sports at the collegiate
only sometimes employed the it was not possible to work level including six future college
angry whistle, but he is well- through an obstacle, he taught athletes from the class of 2023.
remembered for much more than us how to work around it. Coach The adult influence in a young
the stereotype on the field or Ortiz’s wood shop class taught boy’s life from sixth to eighth
court. his students the importance of grade cannot be underestimated,
Many people look up to Richard planning and problem solving, and Coach’s lessons on working
through adversity to accomplish
Ortiz. He is one of the most and that a mistake does not one’s goals have had an
upfront and honest people you have to derail one’s goals. Our exponential impact on helping us
could meet. He tells everyone projects often seemed almost grow into better men.
what they need to hear, even impossible, but he would always
though it may not be what they teach the way to power through Many people love Coach
want to hear. People pause to the challenge to reach the goal. Ortiz because of how he puts
listen when he speaks due to Thanks to Coach Ortiz’s class, others before himself and
his wisdom and experience. For thousands of mantel clocks, never complains about his own
many, many young people, he boomerangs, pen holders, derby circumstances. He practices what
made them believe that they could cars, and jewelry boxes have been he preaches by demonstrating
accomplish anything they put gifted and displayed across the persistence in his own life.
their minds to. He taught them Lubbock area. Not only did he He gives 110% and was often
how to push through to overcome teach us lessons in his class, but found repairing things at
anything in their paths. we walked away with a physical school, painting walls, making
keepsake that would always be
As a coach and teacher, Coach a reminder of our acquired skills improvements, and keeping the
program in tip-top condition.
Ortiz taught many lessons to and the persistence it took to make Those who found themselves in
thousands of kids at Irons Middle it happen. his program are lucky.
School over his 18 years there.
His coaching career spanned four Though he connected with many I have known Coach Ortiz for
decades, including time in New people in his wood shop class, he many years. My mom was a girls’
is most known for his impact as
34 Lubbock Senior Link
