Former SWT football star makes up for lost time

Vela earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science from Southwest Texas State in 1998, 16 years after completing a stellar career as a wide receiver for the Bobcats, but he never got his certification to teach at a Texas public school.

Driven by his goal to teach and coach at Burbank someday, Vela enrolled at UTSA last summer to begin the arduous task of earning 46 hours in required education courses.

He was a full-time student during the 2008-09 school year and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in May. Oh, and he had a 3.75 grade-point average.

As we used to say in Corpitos — or, Corpus Christi, for those culturally deprived — se aventó el guy.

“What I did in football was great, but it doesn’t compare to what I just did,” Vela said. “I promised my mother that I would go back to school and take care of my certification, and I’m glad she was there to see me graduate.”
To say it was an emotional day for Vela would be an understatement.

“I was in my car driving by myself that night when it was all over and tears came to my eyes,” he said. “I stopped on the side of the road, looked up and said, ‘I did it. I did it.’ It took a lot of hard work to get there, but I never quit because I knew I could do it.”

The next hurdle for Vela, who turned 49 on June 17, will be to pass the state exam for teacher certification in mid-July at UTSA. Considering his performance in the classroom, he should have no problem passing.

Given the respect Vela has earned as a teacher and coach at seven different private schools in San Antonio the past 16 years, there should be no question about his experience, character and passion for working with kids.

Vela has been an assistant coach at Central Catholic for the past three years. He plans to remain on Carlos Enrico’s staff until he finds a job at a public school.