Atrisco coach takes over Demons program
Garcia will become SFHS’ third coach in three seasons
Adam Garcia caught a sneak preview in the fall of what he will inherit.
The former Albuquerque Atrisco Heritage head volleyball coach watched Santa Fe High during its stay in the Class 5A State Tournament in November and came away impressed by what he witnessed.
Garcia will get a chance to put his imprint on the program after he was officially hired Monday as head coach. He replaces Ricardo Sanchez, who resigned after leading the Demons to a 16-9 record and the program’s fifth postseason appearance in six seasons.
The task for Garcia will be to continue the Demons’ progression and hopefully challenge for a state title.
“I see a lot of heart and a lot of talent,” Garcia said. “I’m pretty excited to get this group.”
What Garcia gets is a team loaded with rising juniors and seniors and some dynamic hitters such as returning outside hitter Zavia Burton and burgeoning middle hitter Makayla Gonzalez.
What the Demons get is a coach who is familiar with the 5A landscape, having coached four seasons at Atrisco Heritage in one of the toughest districts in the state.
“We played [Rio Rancho] Cleveland, Rio Rancho, Volcano Vista, Cibola — just a tough district,” Garcia said. “We played all the top teams. So, I know what the speed of the game is like [in 5A] and the high level of competition.”
That experience was crucial in earning him the coaching gig.
“With an impressive background in coaching and a passion for the sport, coach Garcia brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Santa Fe High School community,” Santa Fe Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez said. “His commitment to excellence and dedication to nurturing both individual skills and team cohesion makes him an ideal fit to lead Santa Fe High’s volleyball program to new heights.”
What Garcia didn’t have at Atrisco Heritage was height. The Jaguars were severely undersized, he said, so coming to Santa Fe High is a blessing. He will have the 5-foot-10 Hubbard and the 5-9 Burton on the outside, with the 5-8 Gonzalez and 6-footer Norah Holladay in the middle.
Having to play at a faster tempo because of the lack of size is something he can bring the Santa Fe High.
“I learned how to speed up the game a little bit and hit the different gaps at the net,” Garcia said. “It was a little different style of play, but it’s something I can bring to Santa Fe.”
Garcia does have a history with the
program. He was an assistant at the school in Sam Estrada’s final season in 2017. He also coached at Coronado for one season, leading the Leopards to an 18-6 record, a share of the District 1-1A title and a 1A quarterfinal appearance.
Garcia said his season as an assitant coach with the Demons was invaluable and prompted him to apply for the head coaching position when it came open again. He is the third coach in as many seasons at Santa Fe High.
Sanchez replaced Josie Adams, who spent five seasons as head coach and was an assistant with Garcia in 2017.
While he has yet to meet with the team, he said he plans on doing that in the next week or two as well as getting his coaching staff in place. He feels the key to success will be fostering a program with a family-like atmosphere is crucial.
“It’s building a family — that’s what I preach,” Garcia said. “Build family, have fun and winning is a by-product of that.”