Robert Salazar, Obituary, Death – The DISD family is in mourning today as they remember and honor Coach Robert Salazar, who died away earlier this week. The passing of Coach Salazar has left us in indescribable mourning. It is impossible to overestimate the influence that Coach Salazar had on both our students and athletes during his time as a cherished part of the Dilley ISD community.
In 1974, Coach Salazar began his career as a teacher and coach at Dilley ISD. For the next four decades, he devoted his life to motivating, uplifting, and providing support for the students in our district. During his early years at Dilley ISD, he served as a coach for elementary school physical education classes in addition to coaching football, basketball, and track. The Cross Country (XC) programs at Dilley High School were established by Coach Salazar in 1986, the same year that the boys’ XC teams competed for the first time in the UIL State XC
Meet. As a coach who was introducing a new sport, Coach Salazar had several difficulties; yet, the boys team that he coached ended up placing first in the district, first in the regionals, and fifth at the state level to represent Dilley ISD and Dilley High School. Additionally, in 1974, he and Coach Acosta established the DES track program, and in 1977, he established the AAU track programs in Dilley. When Coach
Salazar was in charge of the girls’ and boys’ track and cross-country programs, he guided numerous individuals and teams to competitions at the regional and state levels. The boys cross country team led by Coach Salazar won the UIL 2A State Championship in 1997. He devoted his entire life to serving as a source of motivation and encouragement for DISD athletes and providing assistance for them.
Through his more than 40 years of public service in the Dilley ISD community, he was an inspiration to thousands of children in the Dilley
Independent School District by acting as a guide, father figure, physical education coach, and athletic coach. Following his retirement in 2005, Coach Salazar worked as a substitute teacher and gave his time to assist athletes during track and cross-country practices. He was frequently spotted cheering on the Dilley Wolves during their games under the Friday Night Lights, at basketball matches, and early in the
morning at track and cross-country competitions. His blood was maroon because he was so dedicated to the Dilley Wolves and Lady Wolves athletic programs. The countless lives that Coach Salazar changed and the innumerable experiences that he was a part of creating will ensure that his legacy will endure. During this trying time, we want to assure his family and loved ones that they are in our thoughts and prayers. Rest in peace, Coach Salazar. You are going to be sorely missed, but you will never be forgotten.