It’s that time: Prep basketball’s coaching carousel begins to spin
The “silly season” for offseason prep basketball coaching openings in Northern New Mexico in 2017 was absurd. So, naturally, the offseason this spring has been downgraded to its normal “silly” self. And it has an almost strictly female tone, as most of the openings are on the girls side.
Last spring and summer saw 23 girls and boys coaching positions open up, and hires sometimes came at dizzying rates.
While we won’t see a district change almost all of its coaches like we did in 2-4A boys last spring (four of the five schools introduced new faces), there are still some prime openings that have our attention. The two most notable programs are Santa Fe High and Española Valley girls. The Demonettes should see a hire by the end of the week.
Both programs have their positives and negatives. At Santa Fe High, the administrative support is strong, but the talent is mostly young and unproven outside of junior guard Taylor Salazar, who is recuperating from an ACL tear.
The program needs rebuilding, and the next hire will need to have that kind experience. This isn’t a position for the inexperienced and the faint at heart. Safe to say, you can expect a current head coach or a former one to get this post.
At Española, the talent is also young but more battle-tested. The majority of the team comprises freshmen and sophomores. The problem is the administrative component is unsettled, as it appears the school is between athletic directors.
Also troubling the school district are the number of investigations into coaches and athletic directors that probably will detract some good, potential candidates from applying.
A good hire (Pojoaque Valley’s Matt Martinez, are your ears burning yet?) might make all the difference. Then again, this is a basketball-crazy town, and that reputation might be enough of a recruiting tool to bring forth a good list of applicants.
A wild-card destination that has potential written all over it is up The Hill. The Los Alamos girls team has struggled with youth and injuries over the past two years, but this program has consistently been one of the better ones in the region for a couple of decades. The town never lacks for athletes, and the Lady Hilltoppers have a good, young core. What the program needs is a steady hand to help it return to health.
Speaking of health, the Mora girls program is in need of a booster shot. Since the departure of Mark Cassidy in 2014, the program has steadily declined, culminating in the Rangerettes missing the state tournament for the first time in 14 years this March. It’s another basketball-friendly environment — if only the administration would get out of its way. As long as the current political atmosphere surrounds the program, Mora will continue to struggle, which is a shame because there is just too much talent that could go to waste.
The best choice for Mora is Cassidy, but don’t expect a reunion anytime soon, if ever.
And that, my friends, is absurd.