89R24971 JH-D
By: Martinez Fischer H.R. No. 903
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Rudy Bernal is retiring as head coach of the boys'
basketball team at Antonian College Preparatory High School in
San Antonio at the end of the 2024-2025 school year, drawing to a
close a legendary career in the coaching ranks that has spanned more
than four decades; and
WHEREAS, A San Antonio native and a 1979 graduate of
The University of Texas at San Antonio, Coach Bernal began his
career with a two-year stint at Antonian, and he also served as an
assistant basketball coach at West Campus High School in the South
San Antonio Independent School District; and
WHEREAS, Coach Bernal took the helm of the boys' basketball
program at San Antonio Lanier High School in 1983, four decades
after his father, Ramiro, played on the school's 1943 state
championship team; he established a winning culture during his 31
years as head coach of the Voks, guiding his teams to 4 district
titles and 15 playoff appearances; his tenure was highlighted by
back-to-back trips to the University Interscholastic League state
tournament in 2000 and 2001, with Lanier reaching the title contest
during its 2001 visit to the Frank Erwin Center in Austin; the
team's final four appearances were a source of great pride for all
those associated with Lanier High School, an inner-city campus that
served a student body that was almost completely Hispanic, and the
achievement remains a treasured memory in the local community; and
WHEREAS, In 2014, Coach Bernal retired from public education,
but he returned to Antonian as an assistant coach before the start
of the 2014-2015 basketball season; he was named interim coach for
the Apaches in December 2015, and he was promoted to the head
coaching position the following year; continuing to enjoy a
remarkable level of success, he led Antonian to Texas Association
of Private and Parochial Schools state championships in 2019 and
2021; in his final season, he guided the team to the regional
semifinals of the 2025 playoffs and an impressive record of 34-7;
known for his competitive spirit and a coaching style that produced
tenacious and suffocating defenses, he racked up 868 total
victories during his time at Lanier and Antonian; and
WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Coach Bernal enjoys the love
and support of his wife, Karen, and his two daughters, Alexa and
Katie; retirement will afford him the opportunity to travel and
spend more time with his family; and
WHEREAS, Coach Bernal has served as an inspiring mentor and
role model to countless student-athletes, and he may indeed reflect
with pride on his myriad accomplishments as he embarks on the next
exciting chapter of his life; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Rudy Bernal on his retirement as
head coach of the Antonian College Preparatory High School boys'
basketball team and extend to him sincere best wishes for the
future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Coach Bernal as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.