Time flies when you are having fun. That’s definitely been the case for Cathedral athletic director Roy Garcia. Garcia will receive a 35-year plaque at the Mississippi Hall of Fame ceremonies next month.

Thirty-two of those 35 years have been spent at Cathedral, after three years at St. Joseph of Greenville.

Garcia is also an assistant football coach at Cathedral. He has coached in some form or fashion every sport at the school.

&uot;It hasn’t seemed that long,&uot; Garcia said. &uot;I still enjoy it and I’m still enthusiastic. I love my job and I love working with young people. I think I’ve found my niche.&uot;

After several years serving on the Mississippi Association of Coaches Executive Board, including serving as president in 1995, Garcia is now on the Legislative Council of the Mississippi High School Athletic Association, replacing Brett Britt of Loyd Star, who resigned as principal at Loyd Star to run for a supervisor’s position.

Garcia represents District 7-1A/2A.

&uot;One of my goals since I have been with the Mississippi Association of Coaches has been to be on the high school athletic association board,&uot; he said. &uot;I wanted to get involved with a bigger association.&uot;

Garcia has attended two meetings since January.

&uot;They were eye-openers,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s a very complex system. More things go on than you realize. But the common goal is to help the student/athlete.&uot;

Garcia said there is discussion when re-classification takes place after next school year that Mississippi could go to six classifications. Right now there are five.

&uot;Schools from the north made the suggestion and its seems the schools from the south will also be for it,&uot; he said.

Garcia said his main objective is to check with coaches and administrators in his district and find out what’s best for them.

&uot;One thing I would like to see changed is for 1A and 2A to each have their own representatives,&uot;&160;Garcia said. &uot;Right now we are the only classifications that are together.&uot;

Garcia will work the Bernard Blackwell North-South All-Star Football Game next month and will also be attending meetings.

But he did get a chance for a different kind of fun when he picked up son-in-law Mark Rosenthal in Alexandria, La., and met up with sons Joseph and Michael in Texas for a trip to Kansas City, Mo., where youngest son Christopher Garcia currently works.

Christopher arranged a tour of the Kansas City Chiefs football complex.

&uot;We went into a room where they showed us how they break down films,&uot; Garcia said. &uot;It was really something. &uot;We also went into another room where they have the players listed on a big board and they the players listed on a depth chart.&uot;

Garcia also received a helmet autographed by quarterback Warren Moon.

Moon is 43 years old, but still has the arm for the NFL.

Garcia, who will be 60 in November, will be able to boast of 43 years in the Mississippi school system in eight years.

Something tells me he will still be going strong and enjoying it just as much.

Joey Martin is sports editor of The Democrat. He can be reached by calling 446-5172 ext. 232 or at joey.martin@natchezdemocrat.com.