By Pete Banda 
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
After 18 years, seven Sweet-16 appearances, three trips to the Elite 8 and two state tournament visits, it is now being reported that San Benito Lady Hound Head Softball Coach Elias Martinez will officially be parting ways this summer.
“We had a school board meeting last night and the board approved the hiring of Elias Martinez as the new Harlingen South softball coach,” said Harlingen CISD Director of public relations Shane Strubhart. “It’s up to him when he can make arrangements to sign the contract but he’s already been named the new coach.”
Martinez would be taking over a softball program at Harlingen South that finished 14-11 last year and will be returning 12 athletes.
According to San Benito Athletic Department secretary Yolanda Gonzalez, Martinez has not turned in any paperwork for resignation and is still under contract with SBCISD.
“Until he submits a letter of resignation there really is no way he can sign a contract with anybody else,” said Gonzalez.
Martinez has not been available for comment up to this point.
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Unfortunately, our school district has several issues that hinder its success and the board is it worst enemy. Anna Cruz made herself Board Pres. after pushing and passing a million dollar educational program that after 6 months was dismantled and the scores came back worse. I can go on and on but you see the problem people these folks have no shame and it’s evident with our horrendous educational and financial standing. With all the staff and great professionals leaving our educational system is going to get worse before it gets better so once again people our children suffer but the Queen Anna Cruz is the board pres and she’s horrible at it also.. Get involved people and make our community better for our children….
@ Rosalinda
Well here we go again different board and the same results, we can’t seem to keep competent professionals( teachers/coaches) in our system. I bet if your superintendent and board were so good we would have not lost all these great people.. The ones that need to go are the ones that stayed… That’s San Benito politics with Anna Cruz at the helm and it’s only getting worse; example, according to the super semi revived budget with all the staff leaving but poor educational stats… That makes a lot of sense.. When are the citizens of San Benito going to take their school district and stop allowing Tumberlison and puppets run the show….. By the way, you guys are truly the laughing stock of the valley!!!!!
The problem with San Benito sports has always been manipulated by politics. The coach should have the autonomy to coach without politics getting in their way, and we would have a much stronger athletic Program! Prime example, you have an AD title but focus solely on football and pass on your duties to lesser qualified individuals you get these results. Wake San Benito quit being the laughing stock of the valley once again!!! This is a prime example why our town will never succeeded.. By the way, the board is clueless and no help.. Elias Martinez best of luck in Harlingen and trust me, you’ll be treated with respect and dignity here.. Go Hawks!!
18 years of working under how many previous AD’s? No one can have a valid case with nonsense against Coach Martinez. The lack of support from the AD and the disrespect toward Coach Martinez and wife, specifically at the last game in Austin, leads me to conclude as the reasons he accepted a job in Harlingen. Certainly not more money, though he definitely does deserve it.
I am hoping that SBCISD doesn’t just “let it go” and fights for him. Maybe if several people call the supt. office and say how disappointed they are with the news he can still mediate and do a “Hail Mary”? He did it with the budget crisis! In my opinion, this is also a crisis. HE IS A WINNING COACH AND SBCISD IS LETTING HIM GO???
And before I read comments lashing at me that the girls can still win, let me say. This is in no way intended to under estimate future teams ability to continue to perform and exceed expectations.
Thank-you SB News for the article. Now I know the facts, Coach Martinez resignation still has not gone before the school board. Let me see if Dr. Puig and SBCISD Board of Trustees can remedy this.
Have a fantastic day and thanks for reading my blog.
Rosalinda G. Garcia, Realtor
Couldn’t have said it better and couldn’t agree more!!!!
Sounds like a good deal for Mr. Martinez…moving to a school district that is ‘healthy” in terms of academics and finances. The public is still waiting for the test scores to be made known Mr. Superintendent. They are lower than last years; how much lower are they? Maybe you can get the smart phones out of the hands of your students long enough to READ their classroom assignments. Good luck on that one. I wish Mr. Martinez all the success he can muster.