BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
Less than a month after reassigning former coach Aaron Garcia, Rio Grande City CISD has found his replacement.
The school district nominated Laredo United defensive coordinator Leo Mireles to be the Rattlers’ new football coach and athletic coordinator during a school board meeting Monday night. Mireles, who replaces Garcia after a 14-16 mark over three seasons, is Rio Grande City’s seventh different head football coach since 2000.
He spent most of his coaching career as an assistant with considerable playoff experience at three Laredo high schools. Mireles, a Roma native, is returning to Starr County as a first-time head coach.
“Coaching in the playoffs is something you can’t put a number on,” Mireles said. “It’s very valuable to have the experience of calling fourth-quarter, fourth-and-goal plays on both sides of the ball. I’ve been very blessed to line up against (former McAllen Memorial running back) Bradley Stephens when I was at (Laredo) Nixon. I’ve had to face a lot of other good athletes and teams from the Valley led by (Harlingen High coach) Manny Gomez and (Mission High coach) Koy Detmer. I’m excited to be back and start this next chapter of my life.”
Mireles was the secondary coach under Joel Lopez at Laredo Nixon during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. During those two years, the Mustangs won 19 games as well as back-to-back district titles.
In 2006, Mireles then followed Lopez to Laredo Alexander where he was the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator in six of seven playoff appearances. Mireles changed school districts in Laredo when he became a co-offensive coordinator at Laredo United in 2013.
Mireles switched back to defense when Laredo United coach David G. Sanchez named him as the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator four seasons ago.
In 2018, Laredo United went 9-3, including a perfect 6-0 in District 29-6A. The Longhorns qualified for the area round of the playoffs thanks to a 31-28 win over Mission High on Nov. 16. Weslaco High defeated Laredo United 30-14 on Nov. 23 in round two.
The board whittled down its pool of candidates to four before it selected Mireles. The other three finalists were former La Joya High, San Benito and Mission High coach Mario Peña, McAllen Rowe offensive coordinator Shaun Tarantola and PSJA Southwest co-offensive coordinator Jose Luis Martinez.
“We interviewed 13 coaches and there were a lot of great candidates,” Rio Grande City CISD athletic director Rey Ramirez said. “Ultimately, Leo (Mireles) stood out amongst the bunch. He’s been in the second and third round of the playoffs where he’s had to coach against powerhouses from the San Antonio and Austin areas. He’s a hands-on coach who is passionate about the kids and very knowledgeable about both sides of the football.”
Mireles, 44, was a running back at Roma just as its varsity program was getting off the ground during the early 1990s. He was the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher and eventually earned a roster spot at Texas Tech in the now-defunct Southwest Conference.
“Roma started football when I was in the eighth grade, so there weren’t a lot of kids who could say their dad played football at the time,” Mireles said. “I was one of the few who could because my dad graduated in Alice, TX, but things are different in Starr County now. Rio (Grande City) has always been big on football and Rattler Pride.”
Leo’s arrival in Rio Grande City is a special one for the Mireles family. Mireles’ younger brother, Omar, served as the Rattlers’ wide receivers coach in 2018 under Aaron Garcia. Omar, 36, will now call plays as Leo’s offensive coordinator in 2019.
“This will be the first time that we get to work together and I hope he can put up with me,” Leo Mireles said. “My expectations are high. I’m real demanding, and I hope he’s ready for it, but I don’t think there are going to be any problems. In this business, we have to have a lot of loyalty and work with people you can trust. I know he’ll have my back.”
“I’m very fortunate to get an opportunity to not only work with my brother but learn from him as well,” Omar Mireles said. “He’s one of the main reasons I got into coaching. I used to see him do what he did at Roma and he coached me some during my junior year in Roma. He’s been a role model for me. It has always been a dream of mine to coach for him.”
While Leo is a first-time head coach, Omar is similarly a first-time offensive coordinator at the varsity level.
“I’m not here to hinder him. I’m here to help him,” Omar Mireles said. “We’ve had a few discussions about what the best option to run on offense is. An offense can be built, but we need to make sure we have the athletes to run it well. If you know anything about Rio Grande City, we do have the athletes. The future looks bright.”