PREMONT, Texas — Premont Cowboys cross country has a strong culture, and it started with former coach Daniel Guerra. He led the boys' team to five straight UIL 2A state championships (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002). Nearly 20 years later, in 2020, the school named the track after him. Meet the legendary leader for Hispanic Heritage month.
"I haven't been here in quite a few years, but it's good to see that improvements have been made for kids to run," Guerra said. "There was no track here."
80-year-old Guerra made his home in Premont in 1977 after graduating from Texas A&I in Kingsville with a master’s degree in kinesiology.
“I never applied for unemployment. I didn't want that," Guerra said. "I wanted to make it on my own."
His journey started in Hebbronville. Born in 1945. Twelve years later, his family moved cross-country. A son of migrant workers, he knew English, so he drove the family to California.
"All day long we would go around moving tomato plants and removing the weeds, so all day long we were like this," said Guerra while demonstrating the posture. "We would move the plant and chop the weeds, and just keep going at this position for 8 hours."
Working in the fields, he often had to leave sports practices early. However, he found a way to succeed. He advanced to the State track in his junior year in the 440-yard dash.
"He ran us. We practiced hard," Guerra said. "I got last place, but I went to State."
His family moved back to Hebbronville, where he graduated in 1963 before joining the U.S. Army until 1966 with an honorable discharge. That’s when he went to college to become a coach.
"I just like working with kids," Guerra said. "It's kind of like the military. You've got to be strict with them and prepare them to be good citizens because that's what the military teaches you."
He joined Kingsville ISD as an elementary and middle school PE coach for seven years before landing a job at Premont in 1977. It wasn’t until 1993 when Premont brought in cross country and Guerra took over in 1996
"What sport do you want to coach? " Guerra said Give me cross country," I said. "I see that those kids they (coaches) just take them to the meets and they never trained them, so I did and right away we won."
That same year, Martin Corona became Premont’s first state runner. Then in 1998, the Cowboys won their first State cross country team title.
“They had to be here at 6 a.m. and run around the school properties, and that would put in about 2 miles to 2.5," Guerra said. "We ran at noon, and then of course, after school, we ran again. You've got to put in the miles if you want to be a good distance runner."
Decades later, runners continue to go the distance at Premont like senior Haven Farias.
“I think it's amazing in general that we did that, and then that we were able to come back and try to come back and win," said Farias on reflecting on Premont's history. "We're working all summer every summer for the past three years, and it's all our goal to just go back and try to win or get as close to it as possible."
Guerra can see why coaching made the difference, and he was honored for it by the Coastal Bend Coaches Association Hall of Hall of Honor in spring 2025.
"The kids that are in school right now, they come every day and they see that sign that says five State Champions, five consecutive years," Guerra said. "In other words, they can realize that wow, we can do that too."
Guerra retired in 2002 after winning his fifth State title in a row. Three seasons later, Premont cross country went on a 12-year drought. Since then, they’ve sent runners to the State in seven of the last eight years.
