Brandi Cox Named New Volleyball
Head Coach at Hot Springs High School

Starred for Tigers During Seven-Year
State Title Run Under Legendary Coach Cruz

By Tony A. Archuleta
HERALD Reporter
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Brandi Cox, a 1993 graduate of Hot Springs High School who starred on the state championship winning Tiger volleyball teams that were part of seven consecutive 2A titles under legendary coach Maria Cruz, has been named the new volleyball head coach at HSHS.

The hiring of Cox, who succeeds six-year head coach Robert Haro, was announced May 18 by HSHS Athletic Director Ted Graham, who has tasked Cox with taking the program in a “new direction.”

Rick Artman, the longtime C-team volleyball coach, has been promoted to junior varsity coach. A C-team will not be fielded in 2010.

Cox, during an interview Thursday, May 27, said she’s excited about taking over the program and looking forward to a busy summer schedule in preparation for the upcoming season.

Silver High is dropping down from 4A to 3A in 2010-11 and returning to District 3-3A along with HSHS, Cobre, Hatch Valley and Socorro. Meantime, Hatch Valley, which has owned the district the last several years, returns all of its top players, and Socorro and Cobre are never pushovers.

As a First Team All-State selection in volleyball her senior year, and a multi-sport athlete who also competed in basketball and track, Cox is up the challenge of putting HSHS back on the volleyball map.

“We’re going to take the approach that we need to really just focus on ourselves, individually and as a team,” said Cox. “We’re going to try to get as much playing time as we can this summer, and then we’re just going to hit the ground running for the season. It’s wonderful to think about state championships and district play, but unless you take care of business that’s right in front of you, you’re not going to get there.”

Haro, whom Graham released as head coach last April, enjoyed a successful tenure by any measure, but with the aforementioned seven straight volleyball titles in 2A in the ’90s and two triple-A state titles in the ’80s, the bar was raised high during Cruz’s tenure.

During Haro’s first three years as head coach, HSHS ruled District 3-3A but didn’t make a lot of noise at the state tournament; during his final three years, Hatch Valley took over as the dominant team, while HSHS missed the state tournament cut. The last two seasons, Haro’s teams had good enough records to merit consideration for an at large bid to the state tournament field, but unimpressive showings in the district tournament title games against Hatch Valley hurt the Tigers’ cause.

Haro said he had planned to coach one more year, then call it quits, but Graham had other ideas.

“I have respect for Haro, I’ve coached with Haro before,” said Cox, who last season coached seventh grade volleyball at TorC Middle School and who previously served as JV coach at HSHS and eighth-grade coach at TCMS. “He’s a good coach. Sometimes in coaching, the longevity of it isn’t there. As coaches, you know that.”

Such wasn’t the case for Cruz, who after leaving HSHS turned up several years later as head coach at Ruidoso High where she added to her stellar rèsumè by leading the Warriors to a 3A state title.

“She’s a big influence on how I coach and how I look at sports in general,” Cox said of Cruz. “She was very organized, and she really gave you lots of opportunities to do your best. She maximized every player to their fullest potential.

“We didn’t always have the best players in the state or the best athletes,” she continued, “but what she was able to do is bring the best out of every player, and I think that’s so important – and just such a tough work ethic.”

As for Silver, one of the biggest schools in 3A, joining the district, Cox said she welcomes the Colts if not with open arms, at least a hard-hitting spike or two.

“I think we have a good district, but it’s always nice to have one of those big teams come in and really challenge everyone to increase the level of their play,” she said. “Anytime you have a strong opponent, I think it helps you. It challenges you, and makes every program better.”

Oralia Piper, the longtime JV coach under Haro, resigned prior to Haro’s dismissal, so the retention of assistant coach Artman gives the program some continuity.

“He’s worked with the girls for several years now,” Cox said of Artman. “He’s really very positive and he’s got lots of energy. I think we’re going to work really well together and we’re going to try to build a really good program.”

Graham also announced that former HSHS volleyball stars Ashley Ferguson and Holly McKenzie will be leading the seventh grade team at TCMS.

Cox’s younger sister, Tori Johnson, who also was part of the 2A championship run, will return as eighth-grade coach at TCMS.

“Ashley and Holly are excited about coming in,” said Cox. “They’ve got lots of energy. They’re young, they just graduated a few years ago, and they’re interested in coming back, which is wonderful.”

Cox said she’s especially pleased to have her sister, Tori, anchoring the program at TCMS.

“She’s my sister, so obviously we’re close,” Cox said. “She was the double-A Player of the Year and she was a hitter (Brandi was a setter), so we have different experiences as far as positions, but we have that same common thread of having Maria Cruz as our coach. That’s where our start in volleyball was, and it’s a great model to emulate. I think we’re going to do a great job.”