Española athletic director put on leave

Superintendent cites ‘concerns with the football program’

Española Valley athletic director Phillip Roybal is on paid leave pending a district investigation regarding “concerns with the football program,” Española Public Schools superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez wrote in a text message to The New Mexican on Wednesday.

Roybal is in his first year as AD at the school, having been hired in late July to replace Eric Vigil, who served as athletic coordinator for four years at the school. Gutierrez would not elaborate on the nature of the investigation, stating that “there is always potential for litigation.”

Roybal did not return a phone message left by The New Mexican.

The football program endured a tumultuous 2017 season, as the Sundevils went 2-8 and fired head coach Jesus Maes in October after less than two seasons. Roybal did not give any reasons for Maes’ dismissal. Ron DuPree was the interim head coach over the final three games of the season and Roybal was an assistant.

However, there were other issues surrounding the program. A Rio Grande Sun story in October uncovered that player James Lujan continued playing during an Oct. 6 football game against Albuquerque Academy even though he had what was described as a “moderate” concussion. The story also highlighted that the school had no athletic trainer, and that it had been trying to find one since the summer.

Maes took over the football program in June 2016, replacing Miguel Medina after he resigned in protest of Gutierrez’s resignation in April 2016 upon her completion of a district investigation into then-head boys basketball coach Richard Martinez. Maes called it his “dream job,” but was just 3-14 with the school. Maes maintains his teaching position as a culinary arts teacher at the school.

Roybal previously worked at New Mexico Junior College before taking the Española job, starting as the director of energy technology before earning a promotion as vice president for student services. He also was athletic director and head football coach at Hobbs from 2002-09.