Coaching positions filled as spring seasons arrive

LOS LUNAS — As the calendar started to flip to the new year, softball players at Valencia High School and track athletes at VHS and Los Lunas High School may have wondered if they would be competing this spring.

After all, head coaches for those sports had yet to be hired.

Fear not. Those positions are now filled, with not much time to spare, as baseball and softball practice started Monday, and track beginning next week.

Jacob Rael, an assistant coach for Valencia last season under Eli Miera, is now in charge of Jaguars softball.

“Back to the basics, the fundamentals,” is what Rael says he will bring to the Jaguars. “Fundamental ball wins games.”

Rael will bring “an aggressive coaching” style to improve on last year’s 5-17 record.

“I like to challenge and push,” said Rael, who has a background in club softball.

Rael is Valencia’s third head coach in three years.

“Win or lose, it’s going to be fun for the girls,” he said.

There will be double duty for VHS head football coach Ledarrius Cage, who will add boys and girls track to his coaching resume.

“The program has been lacking a little consistency as far as the coaching staff,” said Cage. “I’m hoping to bring that to the team.”

Cage is familiar with the VHS track program. He was head coach in 2018-19 before leaving for Cleveland High School. Last season, Cage was the Jaguars’ high jump coach.

“Hopefully, we can get the program rolling,” Cage said, by increasing participation, taking the sport more seriously and making “the workouts tough so the kids are ready to respond and perform.”

For the first time in several years, Los Lunas has split the head coaching duties of girls’ and boys’ track. Joseph Baca is coaching the boys, while leading the girls is Celeste Tafoya.

“I’m so excited,” said Baca, a world history teacher at LLHS. “It’s a great group of kids. We have a bunch of talent.”

Baca was an assistant coach in football and is currently the Tigers’ C-team basketball coach, leading him right into track season.

“I love coaching. The kids make it worth it,” said Baca, while adding, “I don’t know if I’ll (coach) three sports ever again.”

Dividing the two programs has added additional coaches.

“We have close to 80 kids, 90 kids out there. The more coaches we have the better.”

Tafoya, the Tigers’ new girls coach, is a registered nurse at LLHS and was an assistant coach last season.

“My goal this year is to help each athlete improve their skills, develop their potential, and prepare for a long, healthy career in track,” said Tafoya.

The top priority for Tafoya is to “create a positive learning environment that not only challenges students to reach their full potential athletically but also fosters mental toughness and strong character.”

In addition to her work at LLHS, Tafoya is a registered nurse for the New Mexico Corrections Department and a volunteer volleyball coach for Los Lunas Recreation.