For Izaiah Alvarado, coaching has always been about helping athletes become the best version of themselves and will be bringing that philosophy to Smyer High School as the Bobcats’ newest assistant coach and history teacher.
Alvarado is a Floydada high school alumnus who graduated in 2023 and assisted in coaching football, basketball, baseball and track at Floydada Junior High School for the past two years as well as teaching the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) class. At Smyer he will be assisting in football, track and baseball.
Alvarado received his associates degree from South Plains College in 2024 and his bachelor's degree from West Texas A&M in Spring 2026.
Alvarado said his first impression of the Smyer students was hard working individuals as well as more agility work.
“Here our students and athletes are working hard to be more mobile and kinder and be as athletic as they can be,” Alvarado said. “We are limited with the number of kids we have, and we are trying to utilize every student in every way we can.”
Alvarado says his coaching philosophy is to mainly do the best they can be.
“If you want to be here, then be here, and just give it your all. Leave no regrets, sooner or later you won't be able to,” Alvarado said.
Aside from his coaching philosophy, Alvarado said that with this being his first new community, he plans on earning respect and trust by being present and being motivated every day to be the best that he can be as a coach.
“I would say wanting to be here, showing emotion and motivation, to the coaches and athletes, it will give them trust. Sooner or later, it will vow to me that people will be able to say, ‘he is a trustworthy and hardworking person and can do what is needed.’” Alvarado said.
Alvarado said something that stood out to him throughout the summer workouts for the Smyer athletes is that they want to be here and choose to be there when some players do not.
“I like how some kids want to be here, they show the motivation to others as well,” Alvarado said. “It doesn't just help us as coaches, but it motivates the other players by seeing their teammates also putting in hard work.”
Alvarado's high school coaches and teachers are the ones who inspired him to also become a coach during his junior and senior year of high school.
“Every coach told me it's a colony and a passion, it’s not about money or anything else, and it’s also not just about doing good in sports but caring about academics,” Alvarado said. “I’ve had teachers help me understand that it doesn’t just help you, but also every student throughout the years by helping develop them.”
One of Alvarado's values he has that he hopes to instill in his athletes is the drive of always wanting to be better.
Alvarado said he is looking forward to this new opportunity that Coach Funke gave him to gain different experiences as a coach and teacher in a different school district.
Smyer football will kick off its season on Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. with a home game against Lockney.