Hidalgo head coach Monty Stumbaugh announced to his team on Tuesday that he was stepping down as head football coach after leading the Pirates program for the past six seasons and bringing stability to a program that had lacked for years.

“I’ve been driving from Laguna Vista which is about 73 miles one way for six years and it started to just wear on me,” said the 44-year veteran of coaching. In his six years at Hidalgo he posted a 22-34 overall record, but that includes a 2-18 mark in his first two seasons.

“I could retire if I want, but I’d like to still coach for a few more years if someone will have me on staff a little closer to home, but if I can’t find a good fit I’ll probably just retire and chase my grand-kids around,” said Coach Stump (as he’s affectionately known in the Valley).

Coach Stumbaugh is best known for his sixteen year run at Port Isabel where he led the Tarpons to four double-digit winning seasons and a pair of regional final runs. He has a career record of 145-98 as a head coach.

Stumbaugh says he’ll still be at Hidalgo to run off-season and help with the transition, “Hidalgo’s been great to me and I want to do right by them and these kids, that’s why I decided to do it now. But I’m going to be here every day in off-season and to help with whoever they hire get settled in.