PHARR — The PSJA ISD school board unanimously approved the hiring of J.J. Leija to be the next head football coach and athletic coordinator at PSJA Southwest during a school board meeting Monday evening.
Leija brings head coaching experience to Southwest and has served as co-defensive coordinator at Edinburg Vela for the past three seasons.
The position at PSJA Southwest opened in February after former head coach and athletic coordinator Abel Estrada was reassigned. The Javelinas posted back-to-back 1-9 seasons during his two-year tenure.
Leija, an Edinburg High alumnus, previously served as head coach and athletic coordinator at Edinburg High for five years from 2016-2020. During that time, the Bobcats qualified for the playoffs three seasons in a row with an overall record of 27-21. Leija was reassigned by Edinburg CISD following the 2020 season after an on-field incident involving former Edinburg High football player Emmanuel Duron striking a referee during a game.
Leija was the defensive coordinator at La Joya Palmview prior to taking over the head coaching position at Edinburg High, and has been co-defensive coordinator at Edinburg Vela for the past three seasons. He also held the defensive coordinator position at PSJA North during the late 2000s with coaching stops at Edinburg Economedes and La Joya High.
PSJA Southwest began competing in varsity football in 2012 and has gone 29-79 in 11 years. The Javelinas have qualified for the playoffs one time in program history in 2020.