One of the questions I’m asked almost every spring is whether Española Valley basketball coach Richard Martinez will return for another season. Figuring I better get the answer straight from the horse’s mouth, I called Martinez, who said he was, “Locked and loaded,” for another season.
Martinez said he has started planning offseason activities and preparing for next season.
While Martinez might be ready to go for a eighth season, his boss was not nearly as clear about her intentions for an at-will position
Española athletic director Theresa Flores said she has not completed her evaluation of Martinez and the high school’s other coaches. She declined to comment further on the matter. She will make a decision on her recommendation to Superintendent Janette Archuleta after her investigation of Martinez.
That is not exactly a vote of confidence.
In an article in last week’s SUN by Lou Mattei, Flores said she had received complaints she needed to investigate from parents about Martinez. How many parents and who the players were whose parents complained, she would not comment on. Over the years, it has been my experience that no matter a coach’s success, there will be parents who complain about the coach concerning his program, often centering around the treatment (playing time) of their children. These parents wish to remain anonymous, citing “retaliation” against their children as the reason. Coaches will not go on the record when asked to name the specific parents.
Players and parents need to go on record with their issues with the coach.
I don’t know why all the speculation about a coach who has been as successful as Martinez. I do know, despite the success of this year’s team, there are still those who want him replaced. There are complaints that he slowed the game down again. I have written columns critical of Martinez’s slowdown tactics in previous state tournament games, but I don’t think it’s warranted this time.
Martinez was working for a good shot at about the right time (less than two minutes) in the championship game with the score tied. If Española scored instead of Rodney Coles being called for a carry, the pressure would have been on Roswell. I feel Española was just a possession arrow away from victory. If the Sundevils had retained possession on the rebound after Luis Alvarado’s missed three-pointer, I believe they could have gotten a good shot off and won the game.
I criticized Martinez for going off on the officials on the carrying call at the post-game press conference, but I could understand his frustration. While listening to Martinez at the conference, I had a feeling that what he was saying about the officiating could get him in trouble. Last week, Flores received a letter from the state Activities Association stating Martinez was being sanctioned for those comments. The punishment is a one-game suspension and one-year probation.
I have since talked to several people whose opinion I respect and they have said that it was a carry. Should Martinez not be rehired because of his post-championship game comments is a matter for Flores and ultimately Española Superintendent Janette Archuleta to decide. If Martinez commits a second offense while on probation, the Association could bar him from postseason play. That could likely lead to his not being rehired as well.
Martinez said he would be writing a letter of apology to the official who made the carrying-the-ball call. He stated he was defending his team after seeing them crying and in pain after the game.
“I didn’t say it to be malicious,” Martinez said. “I was doing it to defend and protect my players.”
There’s an interesting scenario that could play out here if Martinez is not rehired at Española. The boys basketball coaching job at Santa Fe High School is open as they have decided not to rehire former Española coach Lenny Roybal. Martinez could apply for this job.
If he received the Santa Fe job, it is likely he would take some players with him. Rodney Coles lives in Santa Fe and drives to Española to play for Martinez, Antonio Romero — nicknamed “Capital” because he transferred from Santa Fe’s Capital High School — would likely stay in Santa Fe. They could follow Martinez to Santa Fe High School. Martinez’s son, Jozzeb, would follow his father.
Santa Fe becomes a member of District 2AAAA, which includes Española, next season. You could have Española and Santa Fe facing each other in District 2AAAA with Martinez and three former Española players on the court for the Demons.
This is just speculation. Martinez said April 30 that he had not applied for the position at Santa Fe High School.