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By Frank Cardenas

Before the H.M. King Brahmas take the field to kick-off the season against the Robstown Cotton Pickers on Thursday night, the varsity squad was able to decorate their helmets for the season with their loved ones.

HMK hosted the ‘Decals with Love Ones’ event on Wednesday to celebrate the athletes and their loved ones in a special way, by slapping their varsity decals all over their helmets.

Parents, guardians, and family members of the athletes were inside the HMK Domes when the athletes collected their stickers to place on their helmets.

The decals included the school’s mascot, a US flag, a State of Texas flag, a “pride” sticker representing the pride of tradition and their number,

However this year, they also added another sticker, which will honor the passing of Rafael Rubalcaba Jr., the father of current coach Ralph Rubalcaba III, and current player Ivan Rubalcaba.

Head Coach Michael Davila said Mr. Rubalcaba was the rock of the family, and after getting to know the family so well over the years, it was only right to honor his recent passing with a message on the helmet.

“He was everywhere, wherever (his kids) were, he was there. And that's important in our community,” Davila said. “You see this family, they resembled everything he's about. And we'll make sure that we honor him, all year long.”

The sticker reads “RR Jr.” with a highway road-sign that has a 77 on it, with their family motto “7 as 1.” The 77 is a nod at the current coach Rubalcaba, who earned the nickname while playing as an offensive lineman for Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Davila said the “Original 77” now has the best seat in the house to watch his family do what they love.

“It really means a lot,” Coach Rubalcaba said about his father being honored on the helmets. “It's very humbling because I guess they just knew how big of an impact my father had on us, and then how much that made us into who we are as people and professionals. If they only saw the work ethic and the kind of pride and passion that my dad took when he was in his field of work, they would understand the reason I am the way I am, you know, but the way that they pay tribute to him, that speaks volumes. Not only about this school district, this community, but then our head man the athletic director, that says big time on his part. He came in, he told me what he was gonna do and I'm speechless honestly; because it's a big time deal, and I'm forever grateful.”

With the helmets decked out and ready to go, the Brahmas are poised and ready to take on Robstown Thursday night at home, with a game-time of 7 p.m.