PALESTINE — When the Westwood football team kicked off the 2012 season Aug. 31 against Mineola, the Panthers did so in new, unfamiliar uniforms.

But, something way more familiar was happening in the Panther Stadium press box.

Like he had the previous 30 years, C.X. Rodriguez was gearing up to operate the stadium’s scoreboard. For 31 years, that’s been one of Rodriguez’s many contributions to the Westwood community.

“It gives us a chance to watch the game and enjoy the game and, at the same time, stay busy,” Rodriguez said. “It’s really fun.”

Rodriguez moved to Palestine in 1965, and in 1968 he relocated to the Westwood community, not knowing anything about the different schools at the time.

Now, it’s kind of hard to imagine today’s current Westwood without Rodriguez’s imprint on it.

He said he’s been involved with the school district for upwards of 37 years, serving on various committees and boards – all in the name of a better Westwood.

When asked what about the area is so close to his heart, Rodriguez couldn’t nail it down to just one.

“Education and Westwood and neighborhood, everything (are close to my heart),” he said. “I’ve always lived close to the school and been involved.”

He’s seen his children attend — and graduate from — Westwood schools. Now, he’s got grandchildren attending those same schools.

When WISD was looking to get a bond passed to build a new high school, Rodriguez was there. He worked on committees to help the idea gain steam, and then served as the support campaign’s treasurer during the election.

The result is the current Westwood High School, as well as the old school being converted to the junior high. That put all of the district’s schools within close range of each other.

From 1985 to 1988, Rodriguez served on the WISD school board, and was the board’s vice president when he stepped down in 1988.

“I just like to be involved,” Rodriguez said. “Getting decent people’s ideas from throughout the city, you come with better concerns about what’s needed for the city, what’s needed in the school districts. I hear people’s ideas, and I present them.”

Through it all though, he’s continued to work that scoreboard.

He said he started working the clock in 1981, helping out then-operator Lee Wood Cook. Eventually, he took over the controls.

“I’ve had at least 15 different people to help me throughout the last few years,” Rodriguez said.

Not too long ago, high school teams added the 25-second play clock to the mix, meaning a third person was needed in the operation.

For the past couple of seasons — including the start of this one — that duty has fallen to C.X.’s youngest son, Erik Rodriguez, a 2012 graduate of Westwood himself.

“When they added the 25-second clock, I was doing the clock and the play clock,” Rodriguez said. “Last year my son wanted to get involved, so he’s doing the 25-second clock and I’m doing the clock and Greg Dingas does the scoreboard.”

So, what’s so appealing about sitting in the press box, keeping track of the score?

“I enjoy seeing the kids grow, make sure they become good men and I’ve seen sports really work with kids,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve seen some good games...and I enjoy watching them and supporting them.”



More to the score

C.X. Rodriguez isn’t bound by just his passion for football and his connection to the Westwood community.

In fact, he — along with his wife of 47 years, Mollie — may have a passion bigger than the one he has for his community — children, and making sure they’re raised the right way.

That’s why, for the past 28 years, C.X. and Mollie have been foster parents.

For the first 24 of those 28 years, the couple worked with Child Protective Services (CPS) as a ‘habilitative foster home,’ taking care of special needs children.

“We really love children and we were looking to be able to adopt and we found two that we adopted,” C.X. said. “We just continued, even after adopting, we just continued caring for children. It’s a good ministry for us.”

The couple has two biological children, as well as their two adopted children.

As far as how many they’ve fostered, C.X. joked that, “I’ve lost count.”

Four years ago, the foster child that they still cared for moved from being considered a child to an adult. Naturally, the Rodriguez family made the move too.

Now, they’re foster parents for the Texas Department of Aging Disability Services (DADS), so they can still care for their son.



Love of community

The railroad brought Rodriguez, a native of Kingsville, to Palestine in 1965.

From 1965 until 2003, he worked at the Palestine Car Shop, first for Missouri Pacific and then — after they bought Missouri Pacific — Union Pacific.

He began his career as an apprentice in the shop but, when he retired, had risen all the way to foreman general.

Along with his work for the railroad, Rodriguez has always been involved with the community — and not just the school.

For nine years, he served on the Palestine Public Library board. He worked with the United Way for 32 years, and to this day serves on the Pastoral Council at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

He was a member of the redistricting committee when the city was making the decision to go to a five-person city council, and helped in the study for the new jail.

What drives a person to do so much — for no pay — for a community?

“We’ve been around kids all of our lives with school and church and taking care of them. God rewards me for that,” he said. “He has really blessed us for the work we do. At my age, I’m in good health, have a good marriage and a good living. Palestine has been good to us, so we do what God wants us to do.”

And on a Friday night, when the lights illuminate Panther Stadium on the west side of Palestine, expect C.X. to be in his familiar seat.

After all, that’s where he’s been on Friday’s in the fall for the past three decades.

“Through out my involvement with WISD, I appreciate all the coaches for their dedication to the students,” he said. “They spend a lot of their time, teaching them by example to try their best.

“I also appreciate them for giving me an opportunity these past three decades, to be a small part of the football program.”



Sports editor Justin Rains can be reached via email at jrains@palestineherald.com