MEET THE COACH
David Howes, Rio Ranch
How did you fi rst get interested in coaching? Did you have
somebody who got you excited about coaching as a career?
When I was finally finished playing in 1993, I came back from NMSU and
dedicated my efforts on my academics at UNM. One of my former high school
coaches (Gino Satriana) from Cibola in 1991 called me and asked if I would be
interested in coaching football.
The coaching bug bit me when I was a lifeguard and swimming/water polo
coach for a team in Taylor Ranch, New Mexico. I wasn’t excited right away
because I was still consumed with youth and the desire to play. I decided it
was the next best thing to playing so I jumped in. I was fortunate, too, that
Gino was at West Mesa High School working under John Chambers. I learned how to coach what we had and coach
under some tough circumstances. John taught more than I knew at the time, and we had three district titles while
we were there.
I moved on to my alma mater, Cibola High School, for three years and ended up in Rio Rancho for the past 16 years. I
would say that every coach I have worked with has added a piece to my excitement in coaching and I am grateful for
the many influences in my life as a student, player, teacher, and coach.
What would you have become professionally if not a teacher/coach?
What appealed to you about that profession?
I wanted to be an attorney or a police officer. I felt that both of these professions would have the platform to make a
difference and impact lives on many levels. Coaching seems to be the closest hybrid to those two professions. The
money was appealing as an attorney but helping others in the highest stress situations was also attractive. Once the
teaching and coaching bug hit me, I was hooked.
Tell us about the most memorable game you’ve ever coached.
Who was it against, what was at stake and why is it your favorite?
I would love to say the state title games were the most memorable but there were so many huge moments that
lead to those moments. West Mesa against Cibola in 1998 was a big overtime win (7-6), every game with Cleveland,
beating Goddard for the first time, beating Clovis for the first time, losing to No. 1-ranked Volcano Vista by a point in
2012, Rio beating No. 2 Cibola in 2006, beating Las Cruces in 2011 in double overtime to go to the playoff semifinals,
the Hail Mary against VVHS in 2015 to win the game, all of them great games.
There was also losing to Volcano Vista in 2018 having the ball inside the 10 with eight seconds left and being taken
back on a “penalty” to miss the field goal. And each and every game we took a step toward perfection (starting in 2009)
when we had our players write a paper on “the journey of perfection” and going 13-0 in 2014 and 2016.
Please name three things which you consider vital to the long-term health and
success of your program. Why those three?
TRUST, COMMITMENT, and LEADERSHIP. Each part of a healthy team must trust each other and the PROCESS. The
entire organization must be committed to the process by being there each day, grinding each day, and controlling
what they can control. Leadership is essential in developing a “Burn the Boat” mentality and achieving understanding
that “there is a great distance between SAID and DONE.” You cannot be successful or be a healthy team without these
three components.
Beyond the game, what is your favorite part of the week’s preparation? Why?
Teaching young people the importance of leadership, accountability, trust, commitment, and respect. Each day is a
new opportunity to focus on character and fight the social norms of laziness and entitlement. We love to win but our
focus is the development of men...period. Go Rams!
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32 2019 Albuquerque High Schools Football Yearbook