A Carlsbad Coach’s Circle of Life

Bits & Pieces by Don Eskins

There’s an old saying among teachers and coaches that simply goes, “Be good to your students and athletes; you never know which ones might be working on your car, administering a financial loan, or performing surgery on you some day.”

As funny as that may sound, there is a breath of truth in there somewhere. That’s probably why when getting my car serviced at Jiffy Lube, I always looked underneath my vehicle to see who was changing my oil.

It was always a big relief for me when I saw a sandy-haired Jim Shipman, a former student of mine—who filled my history class with lots of surprises and made it fun—changing my oil.

But there have been many more students and athletes who have shown up throughout my life, some quite unexpectedly, to make me even more proud of the young men and women they’ve grown up to be. Students and athletes like...

A. P.R. Leyva Jr. High Mustang

He wasn’t exactly the biggest kid on our team at P.R. Leyva Jr. High School that year, but he certainly played like it. At 120 pounds wringing wet, he always seemed to step up for us when we needed a big defensive play.

Yup, Jaime Ramirez would step up and strike opposing players, no matter how big they may have been. It’s a trait he carried with him on to CHS, where he suited up, quite successfully, for the Cavemen.

But, despite his aggressiveness on the field, it was his infectious smile that I remember the most. Jaime, a team player and joy to coach, loved playing football.

So, it really didn’t surprise me to learn that Jaime, a 1989 graduate of CHS, had gone on to become one of New Mexico’s most successful coaches, winning two state championships in Portales.

An old-school coach reminiscent of Carlsbad’s iconic Ralph Bowyer, Jaime’s emphasis has never been just on winning ballgames. Building character has always been just as important to him. As a result, it’s always been a very big part of his program.

As I see it, still coaching and teaching at Portales High, he continues to be a principle-over-profit coach.

A Circle of Life

A few years ago, a young and not-so-sure-of-himself junior high student watched some kids turning over tires while running track at Portales High School. Wrestling with the tires were members of Coach Ramirez’s off-season football program.

So interested was Gideon Smith, he channeled his way into Ramirez’s program. Up to that point, he’d never played football. Basketball had always been his game.

Over the next four years, although experiencing both heartbreak and success, under Ramirez’s tutelage, Gideon flourished.

During 2024, the Portales Ram senior left tackle received Class 4A First Team All-State honors. He was also an All-District Offensive and Defensive First Team Selection.

However, as a member of Ramirez’s Rams, Gideon became much more than just a great athlete. Now, much more confident in himself, he exudes great character and is ready to move forward with his life after football.

Who would have thought that the kid I watched playing his heart out on a P.R. Leyva Jr. High School football field so many years ago would grow up to one day play such a big role in my grandson’s life?

Lucky me! Best to you always, Jaime.