Rudy Bernal Doesn’t Just Coach, He Builds Communities Through The Platform of High School Basketball

Photo By Yvan Salazar

Through basketball folklore in San Antonio, TX, Rudy Bernal has had a stranglehold of excellence in the sport synonymous to Greg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. Bernal has earned two out of the last three state titles in the TAPPS 6A classification for Antonian College Preparatory High School. One of the most recognizable moments in Bernal’s career also tabs two Final Four appearances in the early 2000’s for Lanier High School of San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). Though it may seem like opposite ends of the spectrum, Bernal reflects on the similarities between the two programs that have been two of the best in decades representing the San Antonio area.

From Vok to Apache

The journey for Bernal at both campuses have had a tremendous amount of similarities.

“I’ve had some great kids with high IQ’s,” recalls Bernal.

Many times, there is a perception on talent being the premium for many programs. For Bernal, he’s never been at the helm of programs with overwhelming talent. Due to the latter, Bernal likes to emphasize skill development, basketball IQ, and a defensive prowess that leads to easy scores. “I want the opposing team to think about us guarding them 94 feet and make other players make decisions with the basketball that weren’t used to making those decisions,” said Bernal. The level of discipline was another attribute that was a foundation for the Voks and current Apaches. Describing the discipline, Bernal often asked players to execute offensive sets for one, two, and sometimes three minutes before they got a quality shot. “The Sam Houston’s of the world wanted to run,” states Bernal. The discipline defensively that required communication, rotations, and commitment, also were on display offensively; when facing great talent, Bernal deployed a ball control offensive tactic that required supreme discipline in picking your spots.

One of the biggest ties between both teams is the men with the last name Martinez. Two of his best players on the Lanier state finalist teams have significant contributions to both programs. Louis Martinez, owner of the HD Toros basketball club was an All-State player and coached with Bernal at the start of his Head Coaching tenure with Antonian. Josh Martinez, an All-State player for Lanier serves as the biggest link for both programs. Josh is the father of Xavier Martinez, one of Bernal’s brightest stars on the Apaches. “They are very similar in the fact that they’re driven, and their approach is I’m going to be the best player I can possibly be,” shares Bernal. Xavier Martinez will team-up with Santiago Ochoa to defend their state title in the upcoming 2021-2022 season.

Servant Leader and Advocate

As Rudy Bernal’s career draws closer to an end, one of the biggest reflection points that he is proud of is the many players that he’s coached, have become coaches themselves. Joseph Martinez, Head Basketball Coach at Lanier High School was his pupil and successor; Martin Cardenas, Head Basketball Coach at Edison High School was another pupil within the Voks staff. Both men were starters on the 2001 State Finalist Team that lost to the Kendrick Perkins led Beaumont Ozen High School. For Bernal, his approach in providing his teams a leader, a mentor, and a person that demanded soft skills excellence have directly tied into an influx of coaches that have come from Bernal led teams. There is no doubt that this fruitful coaching tree has established a legacy that will last beyond Bernal’s last days of coaching.

The journey traveled for Bernal has not always been an easy road much like the 31-1 record the Apaches had last season. In fact, Bernal had to fight and advocate for himself, his program, and the fate of high school basketball in San Antonio. Bernal early on had to fight for his job at Lanier High School. With the revolving door of Athletic Coordinators/Head Football Coaches for the Voks in the late 80’s and early 90’s, Bernal was being pushed out the door for coaches that were more football-centered. “Sometimes you have to fight for things when you know right is on your side,” said Bernal. Luckily for the Voks, Bernal was able to win those fights and establish a culture that is still celebrated today.

The City of San Antonio didn’t always flourish with AAU clubs or personal trainers for basketball. In fact, high school summer conditioning was dedicated to football participation until the mid to late 90’s. The SAISD cohort of basketball coaches, led by Rudy Bernal, Sam Houston High School’s Wayne Dickey, and Highlands High School’s Art Gonzales, were instrumental in advocating for summer league basketball and opportunities for skill development. The push for such opportunities has transformed basketball in San Antonio and has resonated throughout the State of Texas with improved representation from the Greater San Antonio area. One of Bernal’s pushes now is to advocate for more Hispanic representation as Head Basketball coaches.

“A guy like Art Vela is as good as any coach in the state,” professes Bernal.

It is Bernal’s hope that many Hispanic coaches are given a platform to potentially earn an opportunity to lead a program.

Bernal is heading into his 7th full season with the Antonian Apaches as he looks to make a run at a third state championship, fourth state finals appearance.