By James Yodice / Journal Staff Writer
There aren’t many Black men serving as the head coach of a high school football program in New Mexico.
But that is not true of the Albuquerque metro area.
Four Black men were hired to take over metro programs during the most recent offseason. Now, 26% (6 of 23) of the 11-Man programs in the metro area now have a Black man as head coach. In a state with a Black population of less than 3%, the spike is arguably coincidental but unquestionably eye opening.
“I definitely think there are a significant amount of African Americans who may not have gotten the opportunity,” said Curtis Flakes, 41, the new head coach at St. Pius X, offering an explanation. “But I do think it’s significant that 25% of us (in the metro area) are Black coaches. It does open the gates for a lot of young Black men who aspire to be a coach.”
Flakes is the only one of the four newcomers who already has head coaching experience. He was previously the head coach at Albuquerque High (2014-15), and was one half of a historic meeting against Cibola’s Rod Williams nearly a decade ago in the city’s first matchup of two Black head prep football coaches.
Also stepping into the head coach’s office for the first time this season are LeDarrius Cage at Valencia, David Lee at Albuquerque Academy and, most recently, former Lobo Christopher Smalls at Rio Grande.
