Coach Rudy Rocha
Rudy Rocha never stops running.
While working last year as an administrator and coach at his alma mater, Cuero High School, the former college All-American runner took over as Head Coach of Victoria College’s Cross Country Team in October.
“I would have morning cross country practice at Cuero at 6 a.m., do my work as Assistant Principal until 4 p.m., then have cross country practice at Riverside Park for VC at 4:30 p.m.,” he said. “I was able to squeeze in meets around my schedule.”
Rocha, 55, guided the Pirates to a big season in the program’s second year, sending three runners – Erik Jaramillo, Rocky Garza and Eddie Rendon – to compete in the NJCAA Division I Championships in Huntsville, Alabama. He then launched VC’s Track and Field Program last spring.
“It was great exposure for the school and a great experience for our runners to go to nationals,” he said. “They ran well there. I was excited to do that. I enjoy coaching at the college level. It’s neat to see the level of competition at meets.”
Rocha and his wife, Jeanette, also own and operate Green Cow Creamery, with locations in Victoria and Cuero. He retired from Cuero High School in June, but he still has plenty on his plate.
“We go seven days a week,” he said. “Making ice cream and opening a store was my wife’s idea. We make all of the ice cream in house – it’s all homemade.”
With his first full season as Head Coach of the Pirates coming up in the fall, Rocha is eager to build on last season’s success. Garza will be back for VC, along with three freshmen, including the program’s first female athlete.
“After I got to VC, these kids would tell me, ‘Coach, I wish we would have had the extra six weeks with you,’” he said. “The fun part is taking students and watching them grow and improve as they put the work in. Seeing the progress was exciting.”
Rocha played football his freshman year at Cuero High School, but transitioned to distance running because he didn’t have the size to compete.
“My cousin was a really good cross country and track runner,” he said. “He talked me into running cross country my sophomore year. I immediately had success. I got addicted to the running.”
After two trips to both the University Interscholastic League State Cross Country and Track and Field Championships, Rocha ran at the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, where he was a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American.
College of the Ozarks dropped its running programs after two years, so Rocha transferred to NCAA Division II Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he also achieved All-American status.
He then came home to Texas and became a professional road racer and cross country coach at Houston Lee (now Margaret Long Wisdom) High School in 1999. Rocha ran for Nike’s Local Heroes program, New Balance and Brooks Running during his career. He also had a 10-year sponsorship from PowerBar.
“I fell into coaching,” he said. “At the time, it worked. I was able to still compete at a very high level. I would get up early in the mornings to coach and run with the students.”
Rocha then coached at Baytown Robert E. Lee High School, where he moved into administration in 2010. He retired from professional running after competing at the 2011 U.S. National Cross Country Championships in St. Louis, where he finished 15th in the Masters Division.
“My favorite part of coaching is building relationships with the student-athletes,” he said. “I like when they come up and ask me, ‘Hey, coach. How should I approach this today?’ They understand that I have been there, so it’s beneficial when I give them a strategy.
“I get excited when they pop a personal best and I see their faces. It lets me know that I am doing my job — and doing it right.”
Students interested in participating in cross country or track and field at Victoria College may contact Rocha at Redolfo.Rocha@VictoriaCollege.edu or Allison Volkmer at Allison.Volkmer@VictoriaCollege.edu.