Meet Academy coach Roger Ibarra

Coach Roger Ibarra has been involved with the Texas Rangers youth baseball and softball programs for almost 10 years, long before the opening of the state-of-the-art West Dallas Academy we are familiar with today.

Many of his favorite memories are inaugural seasons or program firsts, but seeing the kids every day makes the work especially fun. ¡°I can't believe that so many years have gone by. Watching the kids grow and develop is something that makes me happy, not just in baseball but outside as well,¡± said coach Ibarra.

Before coaching, Ibarra was a collegiate-level player. ¡°I started baseball really late at the age of 10,¡± he said. ¡°The only reason I started playing was because my dad used to play in Sunday Leagues, and at that time, I got the chance to meet some of my cousins who introduced me to the game.¡±

Even though Ibarra started the game later than most, he developed into an incredible player over the years and eventually committed to playing at Northwood University in Cedar Hill, Texas. It was there that Roger Ibarra transformed into coach Roger Ibarra.

¡°I had two great college coaches in coach Kennedy and coach Garza, who I learned so much from,¡± said Ibarra. He claims their influence helped him find a different passion in baseball.

Ibarra first began coaching his younger brother¡¯s baseball team, where he was able to apply the many lessons his coaches had taught him. He discovered a love for teaching young kids about the game and was especially excited to help his brother develop into a better player.

After he concluded his second year playing at the collegiate level, Ibarra decided to hang up his cleats for good and transition into a full-time coach. Ibarra coached his brother for eight years and then took his talents to the Texas Rangers.

Ibarra started at the Youth Ballpark, located next to Globe Life Park, where he coached camps, clinics and eventually one of the Rangers' first RBI teams.

Coach Ibarra recalled his first time coaching in the RBI League, ¡°That was also my first experience being a softball coach,¡± he said. ¡°Another coach and I were put in charge of softball, and we had a lot to learn. We still taught the same way as baseball, but we had to learn little things here and there.¡±

Although it was his first time coaching an RBI softball team, Ibarra led the girls to Regionals, where they handed the Houston Astros RBI team its very first loss. ¡°That's one of the special moments,¡± said Ibarra. ¡°Especially for me because I was a baseball coach and then suddenly, I was a softball coach.

¡°It was unexpected, but we had fun. That team had a lot of energy, they had great teamwork and they meshed well. That's one of the teams that I enjoyed coaching most.¡±

A few years later, the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, presented by Toyota, was built. ¡°That was a very special moment,¡± said Ibarra. ¡°From where this RBI program started to now is truly amazing, especially for all the kids, having such a beautiful field. It's a beautiful facility to use every day. It¡¯s something special, something I wish I had back in my time.¡±

As the Spring Session enters its fourth week, coach Ibarra is currently focused on developing players for the next level. ¡°The Spring Sessions are going really well,¡± said Ibarra. ¡°It's kind of a small group, and now we have a couple of new coaches, so we're able to work hands-on, give a little bit more time, and give everyone as many reps as possible.

¡°We make sure they have enough ground balls and never wait in line, and at the same time, we're helping them field a ground ball correctly and teach different situations on cutoffs, relays, and baseball communication terms.¡±

Coach Ibarra¡¯s goal is to prepare athletes of all ages to reach that next level and feel confident in their knowledge of the game. He also works just as hard to make the game fun. ¡°I try my best to make them smile, make them forget about what's going on in the world and have fun because you can only do baseball once.¡±

Every time Ibarra coaches, he recalls the lessons he has learned from his coaches and major league staff members. He works to improve himself on the field, learn and grow as a coach, and develop the Academy¡¯s young players into better athletes and the best human beings.

Youth Academy athletes celebrate Jackie Robinson Day

On Friday, April 16, the Rangers will commemorate the 74th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball¡¯s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. Athletes from the Youth Academy and their families will join the Texas Rangers at Friday night¡¯s game versus the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field.

Earlier this year, athletes from the Youth Academy also participated in Sharon Robinson¡¯s Breaking Barriers Essay Contest. Students were challenged to recall a time they overcame a barrier by using one or more of Jackie¡¯s nine values: citizenship, commitment, courage, determination, excellence, integrity, justice, persistence and teamwork.

High School Baseball & Softball Schedule

Below is the schedule of the remaining Pinkston, Sunset and Thomas Jefferson High School baseball and softball games to be played at the Academy in March and April. Scheduling is subject to change.