Belen High School will be seeking several new head varsity coaches in the near future. Belen School District Athletics Director Danny Griego said an addition to the district’s athletic handbook will include a stipulation that coaches cannot serve as head coach for more than one sport.
Three coaches are affected. Nettie Salas coaches girls soccer and softball, Kevin Benavidez coaches football and boys track and David Medina coaches boys basketball and golf.
“It’s tough nowadays to do two head-coaching positions. So that’s what we’re trying to do,” Griego said. “We just feel like there’s way too much time and commitment that they can’t do justice to both. We’re going back to this policy so that coaches can give their sport their full commitment.”
Griego said Salas will remain as girls soccer coach and vacate her softball-coaching position.
Benavidez will abandon boys track and coach only football. “What it will allow us to do is it will allow us to tie the track position into a one head-coach position,” Griego said.
Medina will stay with boys basketball and give up golf.
Griego said the change will not effect some sports, such as cross-country, tennis and golf, where coaches head both boys and girls programs.
The softball head-coaching position will open up immediately, he said. The application deadline is July 10. Interested candidates should contact Griego at 966-1311.
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April 18, 2024
