SANTA ROSA — Take it from Coach Juan Cipriano, he knows it takes time to turn a sports program around.
Cipriano is coming off a banner year.
“I’m a competitor, and I don’t like to lose,” Cipriano said.
He led the Warriors basketball team to a 34-4 record on the season. And the team reached the state tournament in San Antonio ranked No. 2 in Class 3A.
In 16 seasons as head coach he has become the most successful coach the district has ever had.
And next year district leaders will be looking to him to use the same winning formula he has for basketball to fuse into all the districts sports programs as their new athletic director.
“He’s going to have full oversight of our athletic programs,” said Heriberto Villarreal, Santa Rosa Independent School District superintendent.
Cipriano was recently reassigned as athletic director at a special meeting held last month on Villarreal recommendation to the school board.
Villarreal said Cipriano’s pay will change based on the pay schedule and stipend schedule for the athletic director position.
“His record speaks for itself,” Villarreal said. “And he’s from here.”
Cipriano, a hometown boy played basketball for the Warriors and came back as an assistant coach for two years, and coached the middle school team for one before taking over as the varsity coach.
Villarreal said he felt Cipriano deserved the opportunity to take over as athletic director.
Cipriano will take over next school year. His first order of business will be to hire the next head football coach.
“Hopefully, we will find someone who is enthusiastic and hard working,” Cipriano said. “I’m hoping we will find someone who is wiling to stick around.”
Over the years Cipriano has worked with eight different athletic directors.
He even has put his name in the hat for the job over the years, but district leaders always hired a football coach as athletic director.
Cipriano said he plans to adopt the practices he has seen work over the years and drop the ones that don’t.
Cipriano will replace Athletic Director and Football Coach Gus Cavazos.
Cavazos first took the head job last year.
“Coach Cavazos did a good job, he established team unity among football and all the established programs,” Villarreal said.
Villarreal said Cavazos had informed him he would be retiring from his position, and will leave his post in June.
“I’m going to do what’s best for the student athletes,” Cipriano said. “And I’m going to give 110 percent to my job as athletic director.”
