ATC's Romero steps down, citing long days, shortage of coaches
May 20—Bobby Romero knew the direction the script was heading.
It was a path he hesitated to follow again.
Romero said he knows many people will think he resigned as head boys basketball coach at the Academy for Technology and the Classics because of the loss of key players who led the Phoenix to a Class 2A title in March. But he pointed to things he said were not as readily apparent that led to the decision he made Monday morning.
He spent last year coaching both the junior varsity and varsity, Romero said, and then he lost his middle school coach after the season. Having already spent a half-season coaching varsity, JV and C-team all at once while at Española Valley in 2018, Romero didn't want to make a similar type of commitment at ATC.
Add to that over an hour of travel time from his work at Los Alamos National Labs to ATC and back to his Pojoaque home plus the graduation of daughter Naz Romero, and the now-former coach said he needed to step away from coaching for the moment.
He leaves a program that produced a 72-26 record during his four-year stint that ended with consecutive appearances in the Class 2A championship and a state title in March.
"It's nothing to do with the kids — the kids are great," Romero said. "It had nothing to do with the administration. It's just been a long few years. As much as I love the school, it's a hard place to coach because of the hours you put in there."
Romero said he often got up at 4:30 a.m. to be at work before 6 a.m., then he spent maybe 45 minutes at home before heading to ATC for a 6:45 a.m. practice. He often got home at around 10 p.m.
After a 2022-23 season in which the Phoenix went 26-7 and lost to Pecos in the 2A title game, Romero said he mentioned to ATC athletic director Vanessa Mayoral he might have one or two years left with the school.
While he applied for the openings at Los Alamos and St. Michael's over the past month, Romero said he did so for a very specific reason: He could work, coach and return home at a reasonable hour if hired.
He said he pointed out to the interview committee at St. Michael's that the school had a luxury ATC couldn't afford — two gyms and prospective coaches who want to be a part of the program.
"I just needed a break," Romero said. "I know people are gonna say, 'Well, yeah, he applied for his job and that job,' and that's fine. I mean, people can talk. But at the end of the day, it was never about any of that stuff. It's about needing some time for me and my family right now and just being able to kind of get some rest and try and put my family first for a little while."
Romero came onto the coaching scene in 2018, when he took over at Española Valley when Johnny Abeyta was placed on administrative leave at midseason, leading the Lady Sundevils to an 8-2 record and a state quarterfinal appearance.
After failing to get the permanent position, he spent two years with the Mesa Vista girls program, producing a 20-32 record before he was let go. That opened the doors to ATC, where he took over an underclassmen-laden program and turned it into one of the top programs in the state by his third season.
Over the past two seasons, the Phoenix went 55-10 and reached the championship game in the program's first two postseason appearances.