Española Valley High School boys basketball coach Richard Martinez has survived to coach another season despite criticism of his program from his bosses.
Athletic Director Theresa Flores placed Martinez on a professional growth plan soon after she took over the District’s athletics program in June 2009, Martinez said. Such plans are normally reserved for poorly performing teachers whose conduct administrators feel they need to more closely monitor, high school Principal Bruce Hopmeier said.
After the basketball season ended with the Sundevils reaching the state finals for the first time in school history, Flores said she was investigating complaints from parents about Martinez’s program. Flores declined to go into detail about those complaints and did not return calls for comment.
But Hopmeier said he’s heard concerns about Martinez pressuring students to play only basketball at the expense of other sports. He also said Martinez has failed to work well with athletic directors, Flores being the most recent in that lineage.
Hopmeier also said Flores did not make a recommendation on whether to rehire Martinez, leaving the decision up to Superintendent Janette Archuleta, who was subject to political pressure from some Board members to rehire the successful coach.
Archuleta admitted to harboring some concerns about the basketball program but took a jab at Hopmeier for what she painted as his own failure to keep Martinez in check.
“I am very confident that any concerns that need to be addressed will be addressed by the incoming high school administration,” Archuleta said, referring to the fact that Hopmeier was not rehired for next school year.
Martinez shot back that the high school administration has been critical of his program without offering specific allegations.
“I’m not perfect, and we all need to improve, but how can I defend myself if I don’t know what I’m doing wrong?” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m innocent until proven guilty.”
Martinez turned around the criticism of his program onto Flores, saying she has taken too long to rehire him and find replacements for former football coach Bill Moon and wrestling coach Henry MacErnie.
The boys basketball season ended in mid-March but Martinez was not rehired until May 17 after Flores said she was investigating allegations from parents that he was mismanaging the basketball program. Archuleta hired a replacement for Moon May 14 but has not hired anyone to replace the retiring MacErnie.
“If you’re asking me if I’m happy with the way our teams are going in the athletic department, of course I’m not happy,” Martinez said. “(Administrators) have a lot of work to do themselves, and (Flores) can become a better athletic director. Instead, they point fingers at me and not at themselves.”
In the aftermath of Flores’ investigation, rumors began circulating that she might be demoted to a half-time athletic director and half-time principal next school year. Martinez said he would support such a scenario.
“No doubt that would be a step in the right direction, and I concur with it,” Martinez said. “There are all sorts of cuts, and I don’t see why we would not cut there.”
Archuleta said current plans do not call for Flores to have a split assignment but that could change as next school year gets underway.
Martinez has also been in the spotlight for other occurrences throughout the school year.
Three high school students, including two of Martinez’s players, were arrested for possession of marijuana the day of the Sundevils’ January home opener. Though existing school policies required the players be suspended for the remainder of the season, both players were back in action a week later.
And Martinez has been suspended for one game next season by the New Mexico Activities Association for publicly lashing out after the Class AAAA state title game about a referee’s call late in the Sundevils’ two-point loss to Roswell.