CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — This month, we are celebrating generations worth of accomplishments by women, which includes trail-blazers of the Corpus Christi Independent School District.
Deelynn Torres and Shaye Carpenter are barrier breakers in the community.
If you've been to any CCISD soccer games in the last few decades, you've probably heard Torres take care of business behind the mic. She is the first female Soccer Announcer for CCISD, debuting in the 1980s.
"I volunteered even before the opportunity was mentioned, because we wanted to make sure that our CCISD teams enjoyed the same thing that all the surrounding areas, including San Antonio, Austin, Houston, The Valley, had," said Torres. "When I was growing up, there were no sports for females. I didn't even know much about soccer until 1980, when my son came home with a football flyer and a soccer flyer. I said 'we're going with soccer.'"
Torres is one of several pioneers CCISD brought on with the latest being Shaye Carpenter who is the first Black Assistant Athletic Director for the district, "One, be a woman of color who's representing the community and athletics is a huge thing. To have young girls come to me and tell me 'oh man, you're being a boss! I want to do what you do,' and to see that example, to see that role model."
Carpenter was born and raised here in Corpus Christi, "Went to Carroll High School, played sports there, loved it. Ended up getting a scholarship, went off to UT-A, and played there. Then, 20 years later, came back home."
She said it's great to be back with a district that gave her so much. Now, it's her turn to open the door of possibilities for this generation and generations to come.
"This, again, is an opportunity for me and not just for my personal kids to say 'Look, if this is what you desire, you can make it happen,' but, again, other young people of color. People not even younger, people the same age, that say 'You know what, it's possible. I can make things happen.' We see a lot of areas where there's lack of representation."
Thank you to Deelynn Torres and Shaye Carpenter for paving the way and being women that, we, the community can look up to.
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