El Paso student athletes recalled from out of town tournaments

EL PASO, Texas -- Student athletes from Montwood High School had to return to El Paso from out of town tournaments after the Socorro Independent School District banned all school travel outside the region.

For the Montwood baseball team this meant losing their last chance to go all out in Lubbock.

“People work hard. They get after it, they practice, they lift all summer long for these moments, to get out there and showcase their skills and their performance,” said head Montwood baseball coach Willie Romo.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking because I was really looking forward to this tournament, especially as seniors going to Lubbock one last time. We just have to move on and see what happens,” said Montwood senior Primo Vasquez.

The baseball team turned their bus around and drove back home Thursday morning, but the softball team had already flown out to Los Angeles Wednesday before hearing the news.

“The girls foud out first that baseball was being pulled back, so the first initial reaction was ‘is that happening to us to?’ and at that point it wasn’t being done yet because we were already here,” said softball coach Cynthia Hernandez.

The decision was later made and they needed to get an entire softball team back to El Paso.

“I actually was on the phone for two hours this morning with Southwest,” Hernandez said.

The reservation couldn’t be changed, but the coach said her students have been handling it well.

“My girls have been very good, they’ve been just waiting for us ‘let’s see what coach says’ as opposed to hassling me or hounding me, they’re just being very supportive and the parents have too,” Hernandez said.

The school bought one way tickets to bring the students back, keeping the group together.

The coaches have notified all parents to pick up their kids after midnight at the airport.