KINGSVILLE, Tx — They say athletics is a university’s front porch. A good athletic program attracts more students to a university, which in turn helps the university grow and impact the community.
After six years with Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), Executive Director of Athletics Stephen Roach will step down. He looked back at what South Texas meant to him and his family and the accomplishments he’s seen during his time at the university.
“When people say Kingsville is a special place, I don’t think you understand it until you live it, and we leave here with that feeling,” Roach said.
After six years with the program, Roach and his wife Molly, who is also the head cheer coach at TAMUK, are packing their bags and saying their final goodbyes. South Texas has been their home since they moved from Pennsylvania. Roach is headed to North Carolina to serve as the Deputy Director of Athletics at Elon University, a Division I school.
“Career-wise, this is the next step in the career. I’ve been in Division II for twenty years now. Personally, it does take my family and I back home to the east coast. My wife, Molly, would leave here saying the same thing about enjoying her experience at the university. It’s been a blessing working with her. It’s been a unique opportunity because I watched her flourish in her role and support her students in a way I haven’t done before. It’s been a positive and rewarding experience for both of us,” Roach said.
During his time at TAMUK, Roach helped get an over two million dollar football locker room renovation and helped get a women’s indoor golf hitting facility.
He has also seen improvements in sports, with the men’s basketball team winning three regional tournaments, the football team improving its record and even going to a bowl game, and the softball team making its way to the national championship.
“As an AD, that’s what you want. Success across the board. We think that breeds success on the field and in the classroom. We focus on student-athlete development and not just winning games. We want these student-athletes to leave here with not just an experience but a degree,” Roach said.
But even after all the success that he and his staff has seen in Roach’s time at the university, he said he’s most proud of the culture his student-athletes and staff bring to the university and South Texas.
“I think we continue to build a great culture, and our student-athletes are just great human beings that represent us so well. When you talk to the community and the university and Kingsville, it is our student-athletes that they are blown away with because of how great they are. The respect they show the community, their involvement,” Roach said.
Graduate student and football player Jackson Allen said that culture starts with coaches like Roach.
“It starts with the staff. They just instilled things in us values that will go beyond football. It’s not all about wins or losses. It’s about leaving here with a degree, possibly two. They are setting us up for a successful future once our football careers are over,” Allen said.
And that culture continues with student athletes like senior Victor Smith who said it was a bittersweet for him and his teammates when he first heard that Roach was stepping down.
“When I read the email about him, I walked through his office and started shaking my head. I said ‘dang Mr.Roach you can’t be leaving us.’ He said ‘aw you know it’s part of the business, but I’m going to miss you so much.’ I said ‘dont say that. I’m going to start crying, I’m gonna start crying,” Smith shared.
Current Head Football Coach Michael Salinas will serve as Interim Executive Director of Athletics for the university starting September 19. Salinas has experience as an athletic director and head coach at the high school level as well as experience coaching at the collegiate level.
“Coach Salinas, I know he’s going to do great. He has our support 110 percent. Mr.Roach, go be great. Go show them boys up there in North Carolina how we do it down here in Texas, baby,” Smith said.
The Javelina football team will start conference games next week. Salinas will officially take over both positions by then.
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