The former president of the Rio Grande City High School wrestling booster club is accused of stealing more than $5,000 from the organization, leaving student athletes scrambling to fund their season.

Jose Lino Ruiz faces theft charges and is out on bond. Records obtained by Channel 5 News state that Ruiz admitted to taking the money for a personal emergency.

An investigation into the club's finances is now underway.

Head wrestling coach Ronald Pratt said the loss could force the program to cut back on tournament appearances.

READ ABOUT THE ARREST HERE

"We're not going to be able to go to some of the tournaments we wanted to go to," Pratt said. "We may not be able to go to San Antonio for a tournament, or go to Houston for a tournament. We may not be able to do either of those now."

The booster club helps pay for travel-related expenses when the team competes out of town.

"Some things come from the school, but they try to fill the gaps for us," Pratt said.

The club has since added new safeguards, including requiring two signatures for withdrawals and sharing bank statements with all officers.

"We actually have an ex-wrestler who is an attorney doing an audit of the books right now," Pratt said.

On Wednesday, after this story originally aired, the Rio Grande City Grulla Independent School District issued the following statement in full regarding the booster club funds:

While we sincerely appreciate the continued support of our booster clubs and the fundraising efforts of our parents and community members, it is important to emphasize that funds raised by booster organizations do not determine whether our student-athletes are able to attend competitions, tournaments, or other school-sponsored events.

RGCGISD is fully committed to ensuring that our student-athletes have the resources, transportation, and support necessary to participate in all scheduled competitions throughout the school year. Any incident involving booster club funds will not impact our students’ ability to represent Rio Grande City High School in wrestling or any other extracurricular activity.

Booster clubs play a valuable role in enhancing the overall student experience by providing additional opportunities and incidental support, such as spending money for trips and other supplemental items. However, these contributions are separate from the District’s commitment to funding and supporting student participation.

Our focus remains on providing every student-athlete with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed, both in competition and in the classroom. We appreciate the community’s continued support of our students and programs.

Senior wrestler Dayana Gonzalez has been on the team since her freshman year and decided to speak up after learning about the theft.

"I felt like as a team we were really struggling," Gonzalez said. "I wanted to help my team because it's unfortunate when you want more opportunities and you can't because of factors."

The team is now holding a "Fill the Singlet" fundraiser with a goal of raising $10,000 to cover travel, food, and other expenses. Gonzalez says the team has raised about 20% of its goal, and that the fundraiser is about more than replacing lost funds.

"We have to rebuild, but I think our team can do it, and I'm confident in that," Gonzalez said.

Click here to donate to the "Fill the Singlet" fundraiser.

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