On July 29, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established. It officially began operations on October 1, 1958, and six (6) days later it announced Project Mercury, which would put the first American into space. The first astronauts for the fledgling Mercury Program were selected and on April 9, 1959 in Washington, DC, they were introduced at a now-legendary press conference. Meanwhile, down in some fairly primitive and remote conditions at Cape Canaveral, Florida, a space port was taking its fledgling forms. For quite some time the Soviet Union's Space Program had a decided edge on the American program w/r facilities, booster size, and payload lift capability, and this would continue to be the case for many years to come. Hence, the first steps by the Americans seemed tiny in comparison, and they were outright pooh-poohed by Soviet Communist leaders and other anti-American detractors. After all, what could odd amalgamation of immigrants from all over the world possibly accomplish in the face of a seemingly inevitable historical force known as Communism? Nevertheless, spurred on by the knowledge of what the Power of Freedom can achieve, this odd amalgamation of immigrants known as Americans was set on launching a man into space with a little heart and a lot of pride.

During this dawn of the Space Age, down in Texas the Bexar County School Board established the Judson Rural School District No. 8 on June 25, 1958, and in some relatively primitive and remote conditions on the outskirts of Converse a tiny High School began to take form, with the Rocket as its mascot. On September 8, 1959, the Rocket Program at the fledgling "space port" in Converse was "manned"---for the first time--with 75 students and before long the Football component of that Program was ready to try and take flight for the first time. The other Football Programs in the San Antonio area had a decided advantage in w/r funding, coaching and facilities, and this would be the case for many years to come. Hence, the first steps of this Rocket Program would be tiny, and many in the San Antonio area---whenever they would even manage at all to think about or even know about Judson's tiny Rocket Program----would for many years to come pooh-pooh the program, the school, and the people representing them. After all, what could an odd, miniscule amalgamation of perceived "country bumpkins" mixed with a sprinkling of Army and Air Force brats from all over the world possibly ever amount to? Nevertheless, spurred on by the knowledge of what the Power of Love can achieve, this odd, miniscule amalgamation was set on launching their Rocket Football Program with a little heart and a lot of pride. Given that the District was not exactly flush with cash, a certain amount of scrounging and improvising was in order. Hence, a few members of the community did their part to help get things started, and Jim Masters and some others got to work in locating discarded and surplus equipment and uniforms from Sam Houston High School and other schools in the surrounding area. Bob Malesky, who was finishing up his first season as the basketball and baseball coach, was asked by the School Board to coach the Football Team beginning with the 1962 season.

"Cultivating" the practice field and the actual competition field was essentially a school-wide and even community effort, with people such as Howie Marbach and even the Rockets' Band Director Bill Haerr helping during school hours and even after-hours to keep the field well-fed with the needed water.

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