Devoted to the team, grad student endures

How would you like to work 65 hours a week, never have weekends off, have class two nights a week and only get paid minimum wage? Not very appealing, but it is the life of a UMHB football graduate assistant coach.

Tony Salazar, a former player for the Cru, is currently a graduate assistant for the team.

Salazar, a fouryear starter, was defensive player of the year in the A m e r i c a n Southwest Conference in 2003 and was voted to the 1st team All- American squad. Salazar played in the Aztec Bowl, a game played in Mexico between all-star Division III seniors and players from Mexico, and he is now passing on his wisdom to the new generation of Crusaders.

“I had a good career here, met a lot of good people and learned a lot about the game,” he said. “It is a different feeling coaching rather than playing, but when I see one of my guys make a play, it is awesome.”

The life of a grad assistant is not easy. Salazar has to balance his two night classes, his Monday night junior varsity football games for which he is the defensive coordinator and the Saturday varsity games. He also works on Sunday grading film from the day before, and he begins preparing for the team’s upcoming opponent.

“I spend a lot of time working with the computer. I break down film into formations, run and pass plays and down and distances,” he said. “Things like that get a little boring, but getting to coach and do what I love is worth it.”

Players have nothing but respect for Salazar and can relate to him more than other coaches because he did what they are doing. Senior defensive back Ricky Lopez said he has learned more from the graduate assistant than any coach he has ever had.

“Coach Sal understands the players more than other coaches because he played only a few years ago,” he said. “He knows how to teach players and make them listen. He is not in your face all the time, and he makes you feel like a friend rather than a player.”

Lopez also said Salazar was like one of the guys off the field, but when they are on the field, he has nothing but respect for his coach.

“Another thing about Coach is that he tells you like it is. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything,” he said. “If you make a good play, he lets you know, but if you do something wrong, he has no problem telling you what you did and how to fix it.”

When Salazar graduates, he hopes to get a coaching job, but not in the sport you would think.

“I love playing golf, and that is what I would like to coach,” Salazar said. “I want to teach players how to play, and I also want to learn more about the game to improve my golfing.”

Salazar said the 2006-07 school year will probably be his last year with the university.

David Branscom, a former teammate of Salazar and a current varsity coach, said seeing him leave the school will be tough.

“We played together for one year, and we have coached together for the past three years,” he said. “He has been a good coach here with us, and I know he will be successful wherever he goes.”