Bandits:

2553

Opponents:

527

EST. 1989 . . . Our Bandit Baseball Mission: Growing Great Men, One Boy at a Time . . . Our Bandit Website has Over 1.851 Million Views in 16 Years - Awesome, We Thank You for Your Continued Support . . . Bandit Core Values: My Faith, My Family, My Team, Myself . . . Bandit Core Priorities: Family First, Strength in Faith, Strength of Character, Academics, Attitude, Ability . . . IRON SHARPENS IRON: "Sometimes the Strongest Emotion is Silence" . . . Our Bandit Family Wishes You and Your Family Abundant Blessings, Great Health and a Happy and Safe Tuesday November 28, 2023 . . . This is a Time for Inspiration not a Time for Desperation - Be a Leader as We Adjust to our “New Reality” . . . Our Home Page Picture is of our 2-Sport High School All District Selection & Bandit 1998 & 2000 National Finalist Adam Lopez pictured first row far right celebrating a Bandit National Regional Championship with his teammates in Tucson Arizona  . . . In 1992, Coach Mike coined the phrase “It’s a Great Day to be a Bandit” and it remains True Today: Happy Birthday To College Player, High School All City and All District Selection and our "Original Bandit" Champ Hernandez Who Turns 43 on Thursday November 30 . . . Happy Birthday To 2-Sport High School All District Selection & Bandit 1998 & 2000 National Finalist Adam Lopez Who Turns 37 on Thursday November 30 . . . Happy Birthday To Bandit Nathan Volpi Who Turns 32 on Thursday November 30 . . . Happy Birthday To "Grandpa Bandit" Hernandez Who Celebrates Thursday November 30 from his Skybox in Heaven . . . Happy Birthday To Bandit Mom Mandy Franco Who Celebrates Wednesday November 29 . . . Happy Birthday To 2002 National Finalist Bandit Mom Bridgett Bumpas Who Celebrates Tuesday November 28 . . . "THE HEART OF A CHAMPION is always beating but it always remembers to beat AS ONE". . . We Pray that our Roots helped you find your Wings - - "that God will Fill your Heart with Dreams and that Faith gives you the Courage to Dare to do Great Things". . . As your lives continue so does our journey "It's a Great Day to be a Bandit"!

November Bandit Birthdays: 2002 National Finalist Bandit Mom Bridgett Bumpas Celebrates Tuesday November 28 . . . Bandit Mom Mandy Franco Celebrates Wednesday November 29

November 28: Bridgett Bumpas turns “29” again. Bridgett is an educator and has her hands full keeping Kyle and Kevin on track. Bridgett and her entire Family in Monahans were always been big supporters of the Bandits and our program. Even before Kyle started playing, she was Robert “10’er” Gallegos teacher back when he was in elementary school. Robert is a member of our 1998 and 2000 National Finalists. Bridgett’s son Kyle is a member of our 2002 National Finalist squad. Kyle’s play on the first District 1-5A Championship baseball squad at Americas, saw Kyle honored again with All City and All District honors in baseball. Bumpas was honored as the Most Valuable Player in District 1-5A. Mrs. Bumpas received along with her Mom Kyle’s award for being named the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame Player of the Year in 2010. In 2011, Kyle earned All Conference honors as a freshman pitcher for St. Mary’s University and was a 3 year letterman for the Rattlers. Happy Birthday Bridgett!

November 29: Mandy Franco turns “29” again. Mandy is an outstanding educator in the classroom, a nurturing Mother to her sons Ruben “Niner” and Robert and daughter Amanda, a tolerant and patient woman, a devoted daughter andsister and a tremendous friend. She has enormous patience and compassion for the people in her life. Thanks Mandy you are truly a class act. Happy Birthday Mandy, we know you are Special and they even wrote a song about you, “Oh Mandy you came and . . . .”

November 30: Champ “The Original Bandit” Hernandez celebrates his 43rd birthday. The “Original Bandit”, he started in 1989 playing with the Bandits from age 8 through his senior year in high school. He was an All-District and All-City selection at Hanks High School. He was inducted into the National Honor Society and was an academic scholarship award winner. Upon graduation, Champ played in Tucson Arizona with the Pima Junior College Aztecs before completing collegiate play at Sul Ross State University in Alpine Texas. He played shortstop, second base and filled the role of designated hitter in college. He played for Coach Larry Hernandez from age 8 to 14 and Coach Brian Forrister from age 15 through high school. He played infield his first year batting lead-off and leading the Bandits to the first of many League Championships in 1989. He played on the Bandits 1990 City Championship squad. Every year he played the Bandits won at least a League Championship. He is a member of the first El Paso youth baseball team to win amajor tournament championship in the Dallas Metroplex winning the Texas Classic at Fort Worth in 1992. In 1998 he was a member of the Bandit team which won the High Desert Classic in Albuquerque New Mexico defeating high school seniors and college freshmen with a team of high school juniors and underclassmen. Happy Birthday Champ!

November 30: Happy Birthday to “Grandpa” Bandit Hernandez who was a strong, vocal, visible and unconditional Bandit supporter from Minute One, Day One. He celebrates his 14th Year watching from his Sky Box in our Lord’s Heavenly Kingdom. I Love You Popper!

November 30: Adam Lopez turns 37. Adam played four years of football and baseball for Riverside High School where he earned All District and All City honors in both sports. Adam played two years of junior college baseball before returning to El Paso and is currently teaching and coaching in the Ysleta school district. Adam is a member of our 1998 and 2000 National Finalist. His younger brother Justin is a member of our 2002 National Finalists. The Lopez family provided the Bandits with players on all of our National Finalist teams. Adam continues to give back as an educator and High School Coach, Happy Birthday Adam!

November 30: Nathan Volpi turns 32. Nathan graduated from Franklin High School playing four years in their baseball program and being a mainstay on the academic honor roll. Nathan earned two varsity letters pitching and playing in the outfield as well as serving as a designated hitter for the Cougars. Happy Birthday Nathan!

November 1: “Lil” Bandit Matthew Ryan Chavez turned 13. Matthew played 2 seasons with the “Lil” Bandits in the 7U League and helped lead the team to a USSSA Tournament Title. “Happy Birthday” Matthew!

November 6: Sergio Vargas turned 29. Sergio played for the Bandits for 2 years. He was a middle infielder, pitcher, third baseman and played all three outfield positions. Vargas was usually found in one of the two top spots in his team’s batting order. Happy Birthday Sergio!

November 17: Kobe Nelms turned 23. Kobe was part of our Southwest Baseball League undefeated Bandit squad. He played second base and all three outfield spots finally claiming the Centerfield position due to his speed and ability to read “ball off bat.” He was the leading hitter at the October 2013 “Halloween Scream” hitting .667 with an on base percentage over .800. Nelms was a clutch RBI producer for the Bandits and an excellent base runner. Kobe shared the lead for the Bandits in RBI during our undefeated Southwest Baseball League season. Nelms was a High School All State Wrestling contender at Franklin High School.  “Happy Birthday” Kobe!

November 24: Steve Vizcaino turned 33. Steve played varsity baseball all four years at Del Valle High School earning All District honors. Steve was an outstanding student in the classroom and has mastered three languages in which he is very proficient including German. Vizcaino is a member of our 2002 National Finalist. Steve signed a scholarship agreement to play baseball at the University of the Southwest following his time at Del Valle. Happy Birthday Steve!