Calling all coaches
Varsity positions in Española, including those currently filled, will be open to applicants
Nothing is guaranteed in Española, particularly the job security of the head coaches at Española Valley High School. All eight varsity sports for the fall and winter seasons — which includes those of the boys and girls basketball programs, as well as football — had their coaching spots officially opened Monday in what is a clear sign that everything is up for grabs at a school that is looking for a fresh start. As soon as the spring sports season is finished, those jobs will be opened as well.
Athletic director Eric Vigil stressed that none of the coaches were fired. All eight, he said, are able to reapply for the positions that were theirs until Monday morning.
“If our coaches choose to reapply, which some probably will and some might not, then we’ll look at every case individually,” Vigil said.
Other positions affected are boys and girls cross-country, cheerleading, wrestling and volleyball. Vigil said finding coaches for the fall sports would be the priority since those sports are well into their offseason conditioning programs.
The news came as a surprise to nearly everyone. Even school board president Ruben Archuleta was caught off guard by the announcement, which he said was made solely by Acting Superintendent Denise Johnston.
Archuleta said he was in Denver attending a conference when he was made aware of the posting made online at the Española Public Schools website.
“Of course we will support the superintendent and we are behind her decision to do this,” Archuleta said. “Denise has always been very transparent and this is her attempt to remain that way with the athletic teams.” The reaction wasn’t all positive. “It was a slap in the face,” said Cindy Roybal, girls basketball head coach. “I am not going to be a pawn in their games. I feel like I cleaned up the mess here. I went into a messy situation where the kids didn’t even like each other and I cleaned it up.”
Roybal led the Lady Sundevils to three straight semifinal appearances at the Class 5A state tournament, winning 71 games in the process.
“Who is going to give them that?” she said. “I am really appalled by the fact that they would even think of me reapplying for that job.”
Vigil said the postings for all eight spots close April 9. Interviews will begin taking place that following week and positions will start to be filled as early as mid-April.
The marquee postings are in the high-profile sports of basketball and football. While Roybal’s history with the school speaks for itself, the spot atop the boys basketball program is completely up for grabs.
The Sundevils won the state championship two years ago and entered this year’s postseason as one of the teams to beat despite a tumultuous offseason that saw Richard Martinez removed as head coach and replaced on an interim basis by his brother, Eric.
The duo led the Sundevils to 67 wins the last three years. Archuleta expects a deep pool of applicants for the post, which oversees the one sport that keeps the city’s attention yearround.
“Whoever it its, it’s going to have to be somebody mentally tough and someone who strives to make sure that the student athletes excel in basketball and in the classroom,” Archuleta said. “Being mentally strong is the number one key. The pressure is going to be there right off the bat because there’s a solid team coming back with a bunch of players in AAU already.”
It was a slap in the face. I am not going to be a pawn in their games.” Cindy Roybal, girls basketball head coach