By Juan Montoya
Shea Patterson, a former five-star and top pro-style quarterback in the country who is leading the University of Michigan toward a national title, once lived in Brownsville and attended local schools before his family packed up and left to Hidalgo.
Patterson, who then went on to play with the Hidalgo Pirates, was named the 2012 RGVSorts.com All-Valley Newcomer of the Year and would have stayed in the valley except for troubles in that city's school board. Local sources say that the family also had a discouraging experience with the Brownsville Independent School District.
The Pattersons spent five years in the Valley, two in Brownsville and three in Hidalgo. During that time, Shea rose to prominence, making his name as one of the top prospects for the class of 2016.
During their stay in Brownsville, She's father Sean, a vendor for Vector Concepts, that sold sports flooring to local school districts, encountered alleged bias in obtaining contacts with the BISD., former board members said.
In at least one occasion, Vector Concepts thought they had won an award for building additions to the Porter Early College High School only to have it awarded to a company with close political ties to a former board trustee. Discouraged, and with BISD coaches eyeing his son's obvious talents, Sean Patterson decided to move his family to Hidalgo.
There, apparently, things didn't fare any better and the Pattersons left the valley for Louisiana citing business considerations.
The McAllen Monitor reported that after Vector Concepts took away the company’s territory in San Antonio, where most of the business came from, Sean was forced to look elsewhere to broaden his sales, something Shea understood.
“The first thing you think of is all your friends and all the things you’ve done for football and all the great relationships I’ve built with everyone here,” Shea said. “But you have to do what’s best for your family. It’s a great opportunity for us and it’s really hard to pass up.”
Sean’s brother, Christopher, was the director of the Brownsville Parks and Recreation Department and resigned in 2015 saying he wanted to pursue career opportunities closer to his family.
While at Hidalgo, The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Patterson threw for 1,386 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 414 yards and four scores in leading the Pirates to a 7-4 overall record and a district championship this season.
But as is usually the case, political discord in Hidalgo that prevented the board from appointing a football coach likely played a part in the Pattersons' departure from the valley.
“Those types of things are just on the side,” Sean told The Monitor. “Whenever things negative are going on, it makes it a bit easier to make that move. Whatever happens with the (school) board, those are their issues. Right now, there’s no football coach in place, so stuff like that makes it easier (to leave).
Now, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller reported on Friday that Patterson – along with Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins – are two of several juniors expected to declare after the season. The Wolverines' quarterback told The Monitor several years back that a strong work ethic and perseverance will inevitably show. The whole thing boils down to hard work.
“It doesn’t matter where you go to school,” Shea said. “If you work hard, every single day, and take care of academics, it will show. People will notice you.
“There’s so much talent in the Valley that hasn’t been seen yet.”
"What a shame that quality players like Patterson had to leave because of the political climate in Brownsville and in Hidalgo," said a former BISD trustee. "People from other parts of the country look at us and laugh at some of the things that happen here. They say, oh, well, Brownsville is Brownsville."
Shea Patterson, a former five-star and top pro-style quarterback in the country who is leading the University of Michigan toward a national title, once lived in Brownsville and attended local schools before his family packed up and left to Hidalgo.
Patterson, who then went on to play with the Hidalgo Pirates, was named the 2012 RGVSorts.com All-Valley Newcomer of the Year and would have stayed in the valley except for troubles in that city's school board. Local sources say that the family also had a discouraging experience with the Brownsville Independent School District.
The Pattersons spent five years in the Valley, two in Brownsville and three in Hidalgo. During that time, Shea rose to prominence, making his name as one of the top prospects for the class of 2016.
During their stay in Brownsville, She's father Sean, a vendor for Vector Concepts, that sold sports flooring to local school districts, encountered alleged bias in obtaining contacts with the BISD., former board members said.
In at least one occasion, Vector Concepts thought they had won an award for building additions to the Porter Early College High School only to have it awarded to a company with close political ties to a former board trustee. Discouraged, and with BISD coaches eyeing his son's obvious talents, Sean Patterson decided to move his family to Hidalgo.
There, apparently, things didn't fare any better and the Pattersons left the valley for Louisiana citing business considerations.
The McAllen Monitor reported that after Vector Concepts took away the company’s territory in San Antonio, where most of the business came from, Sean was forced to look elsewhere to broaden his sales, something Shea understood.
“The first thing you think of is all your friends and all the things you’ve done for football and all the great relationships I’ve built with everyone here,” Shea said. “But you have to do what’s best for your family. It’s a great opportunity for us and it’s really hard to pass up.”
Sean’s brother, Christopher, was the director of the Brownsville Parks and Recreation Department and resigned in 2015 saying he wanted to pursue career opportunities closer to his family.
While at Hidalgo, The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Patterson threw for 1,386 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 414 yards and four scores in leading the Pirates to a 7-4 overall record and a district championship this season.
But as is usually the case, political discord in Hidalgo that prevented the board from appointing a football coach likely played a part in the Pattersons' departure from the valley.
“Those types of things are just on the side,” Sean told The Monitor. “Whenever things negative are going on, it makes it a bit easier to make that move. Whatever happens with the (school) board, those are their issues. Right now, there’s no football coach in place, so stuff like that makes it easier (to leave).
Now, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller reported on Friday that Patterson – along with Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins – are two of several juniors expected to declare after the season. The Wolverines' quarterback told The Monitor several years back that a strong work ethic and perseverance will inevitably show. The whole thing boils down to hard work.
“It doesn’t matter where you go to school,” Shea said. “If you work hard, every single day, and take care of academics, it will show. People will notice you.
“There’s so much talent in the Valley that hasn’t been seen yet.”
"What a shame that quality players like Patterson had to leave because of the political climate in Brownsville and in Hidalgo," said a former BISD trustee. "People from other parts of the country look at us and laugh at some of the things that happen here. They say, oh, well, Brownsville is Brownsville."