LOS LUNAS — Former Valencia coach Manny Vigil has been hired to lead the girls’ basketball program at Los Lunas High School.
Submitted Photo
Manny Vigil is the new girls basketball coach at Los Lunas High School.
Vigil replaces David Medina, who resigned after posting a 6-22 record in his only season.
Vigil coached four seasons at Valencia High School, ending in 2016, first as an assistant head coach under his wife, Shannon, and then head coach.
“When we started having kids, we switched roles,” Vigil said of the situation.
Wilson Holland, Los Lunas Schools director of athletics, describes Vigil as “very knowledgeable, respectful, positive, motivated and resilient. He’s good for kids.”
The Vigils left Valencia for Alamogordo to be closer to a family member who was ill. During most of that time, Vigil was head coach at his alma mater in Alamogordo, posting a 72-55 record. Since the fall of 2021, he has been a science teacher at Organ Mountain High School in Las Cruces.
Even though the Tigers have struggled recently, Vigil likes the programs’ pedigree that includes several state titles.
“I really appreciate the tradition and the history of girls’ basketball there. I’m excited to get that going back in the direction it once was, a powerhouse.”
Vigil’s teams at VHS and Alamogordo qualified for the state playoffs each year he was head coach.
During the hiring process, Holland was looking for a long-term solution.
“We want to find people that want to be here and be committed, not just to our student-athletes but our community,” Holland said.
Vigil echoed those sentiments.
“I believe in that place so much. I want to take my kids there and raise them there,” Vigil said. “We’re not planning to move. This is going to be it.”
The Vigils have two daughters, ages 8 and 9 years old. Vigil says Shannon will be a part of his coaching staff.
He hopes to move to Los Lunas by early May.
“It’s just a matter of getting there and seeing what we have and start working with them fundamentally,” Vigil said of the players. “I’m just excited to get there and work with them and get this thing rolling.”
Mike Powers spent more than 40 years as a television news and sports anchor, mostly in the Albuquerque market. He has won numerous awards including New Mexico Sportscaster of the Year. He covers a wide range of sports, including the Valencia County prep scene.
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April 18, 2024
