BEEVILLE, Texas — The Beeville Jones Trojans are playing in the second round of the playoffs on Friday and Head Coach Chris Soza just celebrated a milestone win.
He is also doing it with the help of his kids, who have key rolls across Beeville Independent School District Athletics. Soza has been coaching for 28 years. But since he returned to Beeville in 2019, it is now a family affair. He is coaching with not one, but two of his kids across multiple sports at Beeville ISD.
"It's really special. I don't think it happens a lot of places and I'm just blessed to work here and to have a supporting cast like I do and to have my son and daughter coaching with me," Chris said.
Soza has 200 career wins. He celebrated that moment with his son Eric Soza and daughter Felicia Ramirez last Friday against Calallen. Eric is the Trojans' offensive coordinator and Felicia is the head girls basketball coach. Felcia said the family came back to where they graduated from for the opportunity to coach together.
"The last five years have been the best five years of my coaching career and we're just fortunate that, you know, my dad took that leap and, and decided to come back and, and bring us with him," Ramirez said.
She said it is rare that families get to coach for the same athletic program. Coming back to their hometown gives it a personal feeling that she explained makes coaching in Beeville unique for them. Having the head football coach as her dad also helped shape her into the coach she is today.
"That's the fun thing about being a coach's kid, you, you are able to, to give those relationships to the kids as you become a coach and, I guess, kind of mirror the, the way they were with you," Ramirez said.
Eric started coaching high school football eight years ago. His dad hired him at Medina Valley, one of the places Chris coached between his two stints in Beeville. The family returned to Beeville in 2019, where Eric once played football for the Trojans. He said his dad is his best friend, giving him life lessons as he coaches the team.
"It's been awesome to be able to be so close to someone that I, I admire so much," Eric said.
Chris eventually allowed Eric to take over more coaching duties as he got more experience. He said he is interested in one day moving into the head coaching role if he gets the opportunity one day. He also teaches math just like his dad and sister.
"Hopefully I'm making the impact that, that my dad has made over, over the, the years that he's been a teacher and coach," Eric said.
Chris said the plan is for Eric to one day be the head football coach but does not know when that will happen yet. He said his son told him as long as his dad is coaching, he wants to be with him.
"That means a lot to me. But at the same time, you're right, this is my 39th year overall in education and, you know, it's going to come point time where I'm going to have to say, hey, it's time," Chris said.
Chris' focus now is on Davenport, who the Tojans play on Friday.
Felicia said she loves coaching and wants to keep doing it. Her father told her it not a job if you love it and right now the family is having fun doing the job together.