Jasmine Varelas, Co Editor of A&E and Opinion
November 27, 2017
When Coach Patterson left as head wrestling coach last year, everyone wondered who would take his place. The natural choice was our assistant coach-now head coach-, Lucio Murillo, stepping up and accepting this job opportunity. All four of the wrestling captains had nothing but good things to say about their newest member. “Best replacement we could’ve gotten,” “Best Coach that we could’ve ended up with,” “He teaches us how to have more discipline, which is extremely crucial for this sport,” and “Brings us closer together as a team than Patterson” said Sito Figuero, Blake Rose, Gabriel Quijada, and Omar Muniz.
We caught up with Coach Murillo on the mats.
Q: How are you liking Sahuaro?
A : Sahuaro is great: great athletes, the members of the administration that I have worked with are completely actively participating in the sport.
Q: What do you like the most and least about coaching?
A: Although I enjoy winning, what I like most about coaching is watching what my wrestlers are capable of when they begin to understand themselves in regards to the sport and how spectacular they look after years of perfecting specific techniques. The only thing I dislike about coaching is all the paperwork that comes with it.
Q: How long have you been coaching?
A: One can say they are always coaching and being coached in the sport of wrestling but as far as being paid, I have been coaching since 2012.
Q: Have you always had an interest in wrestling?
A: At a young age, I was introduced to the sport of wrestling and have not lost interest since. I was 7 when I was introduced and started. I’m 25 now, so about 18 years experience training, competing, spectating, and coaching.
Q: Do you coach as a side job?
A: Coaching wrestling is a side job. I am a tactical aircraft maintainer in the Air Force.
Q: How long do you plan on coaching wrestling in general? Do you plan on doing it for as long as you can?
A: Depending on how far my Air Force career takes me will determine how long I will coach. I may not always coach wrestling, but I will always be part of the sport in one way or another.
Q: Are the wrestlers giving you a hard time with you being new and all?
A: The wrestlers are not quite ready to take on their coach so they know better than to give me a hard time. On a more serious note, I have been with the program for four seasons now and most of my seniors have been with me since the beginning, so we are more than familiar with one another.
This is what the team captains had to say about their new coach:
Omar Muniz has been wrestling for Sahuaro since his freshman year and says that he’s happy for Patterson, but he is also happy to have Lucio as the head coach. Muniz also appreciates that Lucio is young, has more experience – given that Coach Lucio has been wrestling about all of his life and since he has more experience, he knows what’s good and what’s bad – when it comes to wrestling.
During Figueroa’s interview he claimed that the team is better off with the new coach. “Why is that?” I asked. He responded with a list of reasons, first, “[Coach] Lucio has more experience than Patterson”, he’s also more into the sport and is more intense. Figuera also said that while Lucio was an assistant coach he helped out more than the former head coach.
Blake Rose started wrestling for Sahuaro his sophomore year; he told me how he has had over 5 coaches and Lucio is hands down the best coach he has ever had. Rose also said that the team is lucky to have Lucio, he is a lot younger so it’s better to have him as a coach.
Senior/wrestling captain Gabriel Quijada has been wrestling for about 5 years and says that Lucio can really help him and other wrestlers improve themselves. Lucio also teaches the fundamentals and discipline which are essential for wrestling.
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