Special to KRTN Multi-Media
Coach Jose Archuleta Resigns
It is with a heavy heart but a tremendous amount of pride that I submit my resignation as the Coach of the Raton Tigers Varsity Boys Basketball Team.
In what has been a labor of love for the game and the athletes for the last 10 years from Pee Wee’s to Middle School to High School I want to thank Coach San Roman, Principal Kristi Medina, AD Victor Esparza and Principal Duncan Ware for taking a chance on hiring a new Coach with very little experience.
When I took over the Varsity program after a 3 win season my goals were very simple:
- I wanted to reinforce the importance of ACADEMICS and increase participation from a program that had 13 athletes. The past 5 years we have had an avg. of 20-25 athletes per season and have only had 3 students fail to meet the Academic criteria that had to leave the program.
- One of the first comments I heard from an athlete was “Coach we look like trash compared to other teams. We look ghetto!” So my 2nd goal was to utilize the equipment stipend and fundraise enough to make sure our athletes never felt like that again. We have purchased new uniforms, shooting shirts, travel jackets, two dozen new basketballs, practice jerseys, along with a SHOOTING MACHINE, and finally NEW Scoreboards. I would like to see the school try and replace the scorer’s table, and finally figure out a way to put in new seating into the gymnasium because school appearance and pride is important.
- My third goal was to build a program that was entertaining, competitive, and that would represent our families, school and town in a manner that exemplified class and that we could be proud of. This goal has been the biggest achievement during my tenure because we have no doubt accomplished this through the blood, sweat and tears of some amazing Tiger Athletes. It is my hope that more positive fan support from the community will continue to grow.
I take great pride in ALL the accomplishments of the teams I have coached. Four consecutive double digit winning seasons, two winning district seasons, getting to play in back to back district championships, ending the season with the COWBELL, winning the TSJC tournament, and lastly having Raton qualify for the NM State Basketball Tournament this year.
I want to thank ALL the athletes that participated in the program and hope that you learned a little about basketball but that you learned a lot more about life skills and the challenges you will face outside the safety of high school walls. Your life is what you make of it and you will only achieve goals through hard work and confidence in your ability.
I leave the program at a time where I know this group of talented athletes is capable of accomplishing historic goals and my hope is that a new Coach, a new voice will help you achieve the goals of winning a District and State Title because those goals are well within your grasp if you trust and are confident in each other and play as a team.
While I am no longer the Coach I will ALWAYS remain one of your biggest fans. Good Luck and Best wishes Tigers and thank you for some GREAT memories.
Coach Archuleta Signing OUT!
