Tom F.X. Powers Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship Type: Expendable/Immediate Use
Established Date: March 25, 2021

Tom F.X. Powers (July 25, 1940 – September 19, 2020) was a teacher, coach, and administrator within the Cobre Consolidated School District for 32 years until his retirement in 1999. He began his career as an educator first as a teacher and boys’ football, basketball, and track coach at C.C. Snell Jr. High and beginning in 1978 as a Spanish and social sciences teacher and girls’ basketball and softball coach at Cobre High School. He graduated from Western New Mexico University with a bachelor’s in history and Spanish in 1965 and a master’s in teaching in 1971. Prior to WNMU he attended Western High School (now Silver High School) and was in the graduating class of 1958.

Coach Powers started the Cobre High School girls’ softball program in 1979, earning a national record for the most consecutive state softball championships — seven — by 1985. Cobre won three more state championships in 1987, 1989 and 1990, being state runners-up in 1986 and 1988. In addition to state softball championships, Cobre won 13 consecutive district championships, won 32 tournament championships, had 91 All-District players and 54 All-State First Team players, and 21 of his players received scholarships — including five at NCAA Division I schools. He was the Softball District Coach of the Year and Softball State Coach of the Year numerous times. Coach Powers finished his career with a 263-49 record.

Coach Powers was also successful as the girls’ basketball coach 1978-85, earning a record of 139-30. During his tenure the Lady Indians competed at the state tournament all seven years (and advanced to the semifinals four times), won nine tournament championships, had 19 All-State players and 23 All-District players, and 3 players earned college scholarships.

Post-retirement, Coach Powers continued officiating boys’ football and boys’ and girls’ basketball. He was elected to the New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 2001 and in 2018 was inducted into the WNMU Alumni Hall of Fame. For all of his accomplishments, he was most proud of witnessing the success his former students and players achieved in the classroom, on the playing field, and in life through their hard work and persistence.