Jul 30, 2010
Ben Pardo named new Pearland ISD Athletic Director
February 10, 2010
PEARLAND — There were two candidates named as finalists to fill the position of Athletic Director for Pearland Independent School District.
Pearland baseball coach Ben Pardo and former La Marque athletic director/head football coach Alan Waddell were the final two men remaining for consideration by PISD superintendent Dr. Bonny Cain and the PISD Board of Trustees.
Waddell was certainly qualified after building one of the most successful football programs in the state of Texas with three state championships under his guidance. Waddell also was a mentor to Pearland HS head coach Tony Heath and Dawson HS head coach Eric Wells as well as several other football assistant coaches at both schools. Heath and Wells left Waddell and La Marque as assistant coaches to come to Pearland.
However, Pardo has been a part of the Pearland ISD coaching family for nine years and certainly has the respect and familiarity of all the coaches in the district. As one coach said, "If you don't like Ben Pardo, then you aren't capable of liking anyone."
What Pardo lacks in experience, he will certainly have to his advantage his nine-year working relationship with the district coaches who will do all they can to make the transition a very positive and bright future for the entire PISD athletic department.
Pardo requested to coach the Pearland Oilers baseball team this season before handing those duties off to someone else for next year. Pardo led the Oilers to the 2009 Class 5A Region III championship and a trip to the 5A state semifinals. Pearland lost a heartbreaker 4-2 in 11 innings to Lufkin to barely miss getting a shot at the state title.
Pardo is a native of Havana, Cuba. He graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Education and completed his Masters Degree at UH-Clear Lake. A veteran coach of 19 years, Pardo begins his eighth year at the helm of the Pearland Oilers baseball program. Pardo was the head coach at Dickinson High School for 11 years prior to his arrival in Pearland.
The winsome Pardo recently received the inaugural Bragg Stockton Award by the Texas High School Baseball Coaching Association at the 39th annual convention in Waco.
Stockton was a high school and college baseball coaching legend in Texas. Stockton coached Pardo at the University of Houston which made the honor even more special to the Pearland mentor.
Pardo is married to wife, LaShelle, who is a teacher at Walter Hall Elementary. The couple have three children, Malorie, age 17, Trevor, age 14, and Mariah, age 12. Pardo enjoys movies, time with his family, and reading.