BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — Edinburg North finally hired the coach the ECISD Board of Trustees wanted.
Five board members voted to confirm Damian Gonzalez as the new football coach and athletic coordinator for Edinburg North on Tuesday at a special ECISD broad meeting. Two board members abstained.
“I was relieved and excited to reach the culmination of this whole process,” Gonzalez said. “It was a long process, but it has been a really good experience.”
Gonzalez has been the baseball coach at ENHS for the last seven years. He brings experience as a football coach, as well, having coached the offensive line from 2007-11. Gonzalez was also the offensive coordinator for ENHS, holding that position from 2012-14.
“We just felt like that was the recommendation of the administration and the principal,” board member Oscar Salinas said. “I felt that it was important to get somebody that knew the school, knew the system and knew the kids, so that there wouldn’t be such a drastic change.”
“He’s been loyal to Edinburg North, graduated from Edinburg North,” Salinas added. “He understands the traditions and the pride that they bring. He has been very successful as an offensive coordinator under Roy Garza. And, of course, he had a very successful career as the baseball coach there. He understands the expectations and what it is going to take to make sure that Edinburg North is one of the top schools in their district.”
The ECISD board tried to name a coach at a special board meeting on Jan. 23, but the board couldn’t decide between Gonzalez and last year’s quarterbacks coach at Edinburg North, Raul Salas.
“(Gonzalez) was a player-athlete, one of the original people at that campus,” ECISD athletic director Roy Garza said. “He’s been volunteering or coaching at the school for 25 of the 27 years of its existence. He’s done a great job with the baseball program over the last 6 or 7 years as the head coach.”
Given Gonzalez’s connection to the school and the program, some of the staff could carry over, but Gonzalez hasn’t had much time to think about that just yet.
“The main thing right now is evaluating staff we have and go from there,” Gonzalez said. “Nothing will get done on a whim. I’m just going to try to be as open as possible as far as where people stand and what we are looking for.”
During his tenure as North’s head coach, Garza saw Gonzalez’s interactions with the players and other coaches.
“He was a coordinator for me for two years and an offensive line coach for me before that,” Garza said. “He’s a very bright guy. He’s a physics and science teacher. He was originally going to go to engineering school in Houston. Very articulate and pretty bright. That’s what you look for. He always had a good connection with the centers and quarterbacks.”
Last year, Edinburg North went 5-6 overall and 4-3 in District 31-6A. The Cougars made the playoffs before losing to San Benito in the first round.
“I’m excited about the kids we have coming back,” Gonzalez said. “We have some good young men coming back from last year’s playoff team. There are a lot of good young kids coming up to varsity, too, that will make an impact.”
Rene Saenz, Edinburg North’s previous football coach, held the job from 2014 until last season, when he was reassigned.
Edinburg North will have to get used to a new coach while the Cougars also adjust to a new district. Last week’s UIL realignment moved the Weslaco ISD schools and Donna North into 31-6A, while also moving the PSJA ISD schools out of the district.
“It’s going to be tough,” Gonzalez said. “The Weslaco schools are always good. This is coach (Michael) Salinas’ second year at Weslaco High, so he is going to have that program on another level. The Edinburg schools are always tough, and it doesn’t matter what their record is. I’ve been a part of so many great Edinburg rivalry games. Games are going to be tough every week. Donna North with coach Marichalar, he’s a winner, and he is going to bring that culture to Donna North. So it’s going to be a good competitive district, and I think it will be a lot of fun.”
Along with realignment came fresh non-district scheduling. Gonzalez wasn’t the coach yet, so he had no impact on the schedule, but he still feels like North’s games are a good fit. The Cougars will scrimmage Laredo Alexander and then play Mercedes, Edcouch-Elsa, McAllen High and McAllen Rowe.
“It will be a challenging schedule, but it will help us prepare for a tough district season,” Gonzalez said.
Garza said Gonzalez will not continue to coach the baseball program, but he plans to help with the team’s transition.
“We are looking to see if we can get somebody in,” Garza said. “We are in the middle of it already, so it will take some time. (We are) looking at an interim or somebody to facilitate the transition as fast as we can.”
Gonzalez and longtime baseball assistant Eddie Hinojosa are going to work to ease the transition.