Roy L. Ford played high school basketball for legendary two-time national coach of the year Ralph Tasker in Hobbs, New Mexico. He served as co-captain of the 1966 undefeated State Championship basketball team that recorded an overall mark of 28-0. During the district and state playoffs, he averaged 18.8 points per game and was named MVP of both his team and the New Mexico All-Star game.

Ford attended the University of North Texas before transferring to the University of Corpus Christi in January 1969, to play for Coach Ray Smith. Prior to Ford’s arrival, the team had a record of 1-11. During his playing time that year, the Tarpons won 11 of 12 games and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in program history.

 As the starting point guard for the Tarpons, Ford averaged 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He received the Top Playmaker Award and was listed as one of the Outstanding College Athletes of America in 1970. Additionally, he was selected by the UCC student body as “Mr. University of Corpus Christi”, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business in 1971.

Ford then went to graduate school at the University of Houston where he earned a Master’s degree in Education. With his second degree, he started a trucking firm, became a teacher and was a school principal for 20 years. His school, Hollibrook Elementary in Spring Branch ISD, was a national demonstration institution for the Stanford College of Education with over 1,000 visitors in a three-year period to see innovative teaching. He received a personal phone call from Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander, naming Hollibrook Elementary as a winner of the A+ Breaking the Mold Award. He retired in 2002 as an assistant superintendent of schools, and then in 2011, was selected as a Distinguished Alumnus for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Presently, he serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston and is a greeter coordinator at Woodlands Church in The Woodlands, TX. Ford is a member of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi National Alumni Board, is a yearly contributor to the Islander Athletic Fund, and serves as President of the TAMU-CC Alumni Chapter of Houston.

Ford hails from the Ford/Hutchings family of accomplished athletes, which includes three brothers, two nephews, a niece and daughter who all earned All-America honors. He and his wife, Dee, have two sons along with Roy’s three other children. He has been blessed with a total of six grandchildren.