by By Dan Ninham
“My Indian name is Stamoona, shrutina hanu sutha,” said Joe A. Calabaza. “I am 49 years old, I am from the Pueblo of Kewa, Santo Domingo, NM and I’m Coyote clan. I am the head Cross Country and Track coach at the Santa Fe Indian School. The school is in Santa Fe, NM.”
“I played my sports back in the late 80’s,” said Joe. “I was a member of the 1987 State Cross Country champion team, and I was also a member of the 1989 State Basketball team. I competed in the Track and Field program. All these sports in which I competed in were for the Santa Fe Indian School. I later returned after a short stint at Fort Lewis College in Durango CO. I ran cross country there.”
“I returned to Santa Fe in the fall of 1991 and began my coaching career as a junior high basketball coach,” said Joe. “I later became the middle school cross country and track coach.”
“When I first started my playing and coaching career, it was my fathers influence that guided me,” said Joe. “My fathers name is also Joe Calabaza. He instilled in me the positive things on how to tie tradition with sports. I share with my students all that he had taught myself to this day. In cross country, we pray with our feet, for all those that are not able and able to physically do the things we take for granted. We get up early to pray during our morning runs.”
“My head coach, Michael Gorospe, also influenced me to really get into the coaching aspect of coaching,” said Joe. “I am a member of the National Federation of High School Coaches Association as well as the New Mexico Coaches Association. I do have so many more people and coaches that had a positive role in my career, I cannot possibly name them all. I would like to say thank you to all.”
“Coach Joe Calabaza has done a great job developing the cross country program at SFIS,” said Daniel Otero, head coach of the Laguna-Acoma Hawks CC team and New Mexico Track and Cross Country Coaches Association President. “His athletes respect him and look up to him as a great leader. His teams are competitive from year to year.”
Tim Host, Academy for Technology and the Classics (ATC) Athletic Director and coach, said: “Coach Joe Calabaza follows in a long line of excellent coaches at SFIS. Coach Joe worked with John Grimley and Michael Gorospe. Coach Joe’s friendly style has increased the size and quality of the team in recent years. His summer camps, strong connection to his culture, and his belief in the importance of building perseverance and dedication in the next generation is not only paying dividends in athletic achievement but in the positive development of Native youth ready to take on the 21st Century with skills honed in the classroom and from the miles raced under the sun and those cold, morning moon runs.”
“The Santa Fe Indian School is a unique school,” said Joe. “We typically have 80-100 athletes join our Cross-Country program. Our students come to us from across New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Montana. So, it is very hard for us to practice together during the summer. Our past coaches designed a workout program to send home with the kids. We have continued this summer workout program to this day even during this unprecedented period and time.”
“I have recently received awards for coaching cross country,” said Joe. “Last fall I was awarded the 3A New Mexico Cross Country Coach of the Year award. I was chosen out of 24 coaches in our class. My team placed second at the State Meet the past two seasons. My girls’ program has not reached the top three, however they have placed fourth the past five years. I have reached a milestone for coaching boys’ cross country this past fall. We are in line to win the Boys 3A state meet this year if the season happens for us.”
Photo Credit: Joe Calabaza
