Higuera returns to Owls in first head coaching role
WEEKLY BLOG: 2/20/22
After one year away from the football program at Agua Fria, Ricky Higuera is back. And this time, it's as the head coach.
Higuera was an assistant coach for the Owls before working with Millennium last season. He's a local West Valley product having played at Buckeye (Class of 2011) and then Glendale Community College before moving on to Southwestern College in Kansas. Higuera was hired as the new head coach at Agua Fria earlier this week. It's his first time as a head coach and he's excited about the challenge.
"I'm looking forward to applying all of my past experiences to try and be the best head coach I can be for Agua Fria," Higuera said in an e-mail interview. "I've been lucky to learn from many along the way and I hope to showcase it this season to make those people proud, and most importantly, our kids proud, to be from Agua Fria and the West Valley."
Agua Fria is rich in tradition. It was established in 1928 as Litchfield Park High School and then relocated to Avondale and given its current name in 1956. The Owls won five state championships between 1970-1991 and have a pair of NFL stars past and present with Randall McDaniel and Everson Griffen.
Under George Martinez, who retired after the season, AFHS had three straight winning years. Higuera was a part of the staff for the first two of them.
"We are going to continue the tradition of winning by loving on the student athletes," Higuera said. "In doing so, we will be reminding them that with hard work, commitment, fun, and hunger, we can continue to be as successful as years in the past, if not more."
The 2021 Owls bolted out to a 4-0 start, which included a 67-0 road pasting of Kofa on the road in Yuma.
Higuera works at Agua Fria in student support services, which connect students to resources they may not know are available, along with Social Emotional Learning. He started with the school working in strength and conditioning. Higuera has also been involved in coaching wrestling and track & field for the Owls.
The familiarity of not only working at the school, but with some of the staff and administration makes the coaching change a smooth transition, and an advantage.
"I believe that the student-athletes understand that I will always work alongside them and continue to build the relationships that I've already made," Higuera said. "They will also be familiar with the mindset that we are going to work with the same intensity, if not higher, than when I left. The students here know the standard and expectation that I held them to."
As far as the building of the staff, Higuera said there are still a couple moving pieces. It will be a mix of young, high-energy coaches that played in college, along with a couple older coaches to serve as mentors not only to the rest of the staff, but to Higuera.
It's been more than a decade since Agua Fria has had a football coach stay for more than four years. Kelly Epley was the last to do so, coaching the Owls from 2001-09. Higuera sounds like he has the interest in staying there long term.
"Love the school," Higuera said. "Love the tradition that comes with it. Love the students that are here and the staff that works with the students so well."
Buckeye Union has established itself as a cradle for coaches. Higuera becomes the fifth alum of the Hawks to now be running his own program.
It was one of those Buckeye alums, Lamar Early, who Higuera worked on the sideline with last year. Millennium improved from a 1-5 COVID-shortened year in 2020 to a 5-6 record and a 5A playoff appearance. Higuera learned a lot from the experience.
"He's a great friend of mine and I am thankful to have worked with him in the roles that he had me in," Higuera said. "One of the biggest takeaways that I took from working alongside him is to put family first. That goes for myself as a coach and the rest of my staff. Their family's birthdays, graduations, games, and anniversaries matter. At the end of our games, their families are waiting with open arms, ready to love on their partners/fathers/brothers, etc. no matter the outcome of our competition."
Early gave Higuera a certain amount of responsibility and personal satisfaction in the job that the new coach plans to pass along.
"Always give your coaches that you hire an opportunity to show their knowledge and skills," Higuera said. "Trust them. Trust that they are doing the job that you put them in place to do and be honest and up front when you feel that corrections and adjustments need to be made."
Agua Fria won the 5A Northwest Region in 2020 and finished in third last season (3-3 in region and 6-4 overall). The region has a new look with the latest realignment. The top three teams from last year (Canyon View, Willow Canyon, and Agua Fria) return with three new schools coming in. Apollo, which won the Metro at 8-3 overall, joins the group along with Ironwood, which played in the 2020 5A Championship game, and Goldwater (4-6 in 2021).
It looks to be a young team on the field for the Owls in 2022. The quarterback, top two running backs, and leading pass catcher were all seniors. On defense, the top seven tacklers will be graduating, along with the top four sack producers, and defensive back Jesus Castro (who had 10 interceptions). Agua Fria's best prospect this upcoming season looks to be Ruben Garcia, a junior cornerback that made Second Team both as a defensive back and as a punt returner (return for a TD against Kofa). Both the JV and Freshman teams won three games last season.
"We are going to be competitive," Higuera said. "In all aspects of the game, at all levels of the program."
Reach Chris Eaton at gridironarizona@yahoo.com or DM at @gridironarizona with story ideas.
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