Changes are coming soon on the football fields at Bayfield High School and Ignacio High School. Both athletic departments are hiring new football coaches after both schools’ coaches stepped away from the programs.
Ignacio has the tall task of replacing longtime coach Alfonso “Ponch” Garcia, who led the program since 2015. Garcia is retiring at the end of the school year, according to Ignacio High School Athletic Director Jennifer Moore.
“He's meant a great deal,” Moore said about Garcia. “He came in a while back. I'm not exactly sure how many years he's been there … but he grew that football program to what it is. We had the most players out in a long time. This year, we had about 30 kids out. So that just shows the growth and the commitment to the program of him and his coaching staff have put in.”
Garcia took over the program and the Bobcats went 0-9 in his first year. But Ignacio steadily improved and had three consecutive winning seasons from 2020-2022. Garcia’s squads had winning records in league play in four of his last five years.
Moore said the school is interviewing candidates now and she hopes they’ll have someone at the end of next week. Therefore, the coach can be approved on the April board agenda.
Bayfield will be without Glenn Wallace on the sideline next season. Wallace coached the Wolverines for three seasons and helped Bayfield snap a 16-game losing in 2023.
After going 1-17 in his first two years, Wallace and the Wolverines made big strides last season by finishing 4-5 overall.
Wallace decided to resign from his head coaching position because his wife had a baby and Wallace wanted to be home around his child, according to Bayfield High School Athletic Director Andy Duffy.
“Coach Wallace did a fantastic job and we're going to miss him as a head coach,” Duffy said. “He did great. But, anyway, life happens.”
Duffy said the new coaching hire for Bayfield will be finalized in the next two weeks.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
