HILLSBORO, Texas (KXXV) — Chad Rutherford is returning to his roots at Hill College as the newest rodeo coach.
- Rutherford went pro after receiving his masters.
- Rutherford joined the rodeo team as a coach in May.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“I want to teach them how to handle the ups and downs of it," Chad Rutherford, Rodeo Coach, Hill College, said.
Chad Rutherford knows the rodeo ride can be rough. Now he's gone from being a student at Hill College to its newest rodeo coach.
It’s something he's dreamed of for 10 years, and he said it's not about the ups but more about the downs.
“The biggest things I want to teach them are how to handle the hard times. I’ve been there, done that, and it’s left me broken before many times, and I want to teach these kids how to mentally handle that strain of this lifestyle," Rutherford said.
Rutherford was at Hill College in 2010, learning all about the rodeo life, including bareback riding. He earned a master's degree and went on to compete in the NFR in 2020.
In 2022, he won the Heart O Texas Rodeo, and two years later, won the Buffalo Texas Pro Rodeo.
But he never stopped thinking about Hill College.
In May, he joined the rodeo team as a coach.
“Trying to manage the ground for the kids and the livestock, and also trying to be with them, and I’ve been training with them, working out with them, sweating and tears and all that stuff. Trying to help motivate alongside them with my associate," Rutherford said.
Now he's helping his students from the ground up.
“We’re trying to learn each one of these students to try to custom-tailor to what their needs are so we can better their career," Rutherford said.
