Former Alamogordo High School football coach Gary Hveem, who served as athletic director for Rio Rancho Public Schools from its inception in 1997 through 2006, isn’t gone nor forgotten at Rio Rancho Stadium.

The press box on the west side of the Rams’ football stadium was officially named in his honor at halftime Friday night.

“That’s very special,” Hveem said. “It is very humbling, that’s the best word I could use. (Athletic director) Bruce Carver graciously called me about a week ago and said he had taken that to the (school) board.”

Gary Hveem, seen during one of his final-season duties, handing out plaques after a district tournament basketball contes at the RAC in 2006.t

“I just think that it’s a neat deal. Gary started the program from scratch at Rio Rancho,” Carver said. “I’ve known him a long time; when I was at Hobbs, we worked on a lot of issues. Sometimes we were on the same side of the fence, sometimes we weren’t.”

Carver said he approached the school board with the idea, and the decision was made to name the press box after Hveem.

The press box and stadium came “on line” in 1999. The Rams had played their first two seasons’ home games in Bernalillo; lights weren’t installed until the 2000 season.

“I’ll never forget our first (sic: second, actually) home game when we had the lights. The lights went out at halftime,” he said. “The band was on the field. We were playing Artesia but not very well and the lights went out. It was traumatizing, (although some) people there thought it was part of the halftime show.”

Long story short: a two-quarter game, won by the Bulldogs, 21-0.

Three weeks later, one of the four light towers failed to light, so the field had about 75 percent of its lighting capability. That game was played — it was a 28-10 homecoming victory over Sandia — and nothing “weird” has happened since.

But Hveem said a press box is more than a place for an announcer, coaches, the media and game operations staff to work during a game.

“It’s about the relationships with the media, and coaching staffs from visiting schools. We treat them with hospitality that Rio Rancho has become known for,” Hveem said.

Enjoying retirement and playing a lot more golf, as well as taking care of a lot of chores around the Hveem’s Rio Rancho home, he and his wife have been spending time on the road.

“Fran and I are really enjoying the freedom to travel. We’ve spent time with our children and grandchildren — time we reserved for many years for other folks’ children,” he said. The couple has visited relatives in their home state of Iowa and Houston, spent long weekends in Ruidoso, and spent time in Laughlin, Nev., plus Denver and Cripple Creek, Colorado.

So, Hveem was asked, does he ever miss standing on the sidelines, sending in plays?

“I haven’t done that for over 20 years,” he said. “Miss it? Not too often — just every Friday night.”