Rey Sifuentes Jr.

-Eagle Pass

A couple of Eagle Pass High School 1990’s graduates are among the list of candidates to be interviewed, on Monday, by Eagle Pass Independent School District, for the position of head football coach at C.C. Winn High School. One of them is Eric Z. Villasenor who is the current football offensive coordinator for Eagle Pass High School. Villasenor is a coach with 12 years of experience. He recently completed his seventh season as the Eagles’ OC. His career started in 2001 where his first job was at La Joya High School. Villasenor (a 1996 graduate of EPHS) said he was brought onboard to EPISD in 2003 by current Athletic Director Edward V. Graf. After spending two years with EPHS (when it was a ninth and tenth grade campus in 2003-2004), Villasenor coached at C.C. Winn (eleventh and twelfth grade campus) in 2005. EPHS and CCWN were split into separate high school campuses in 2006 and Villasenor was assigned to EPHS where he has been ever since. Asked what motivated him to apply for the CCWN head football job, Villasenor’s response was a simple one. “I believe that the C.C. Winn community is very enthusiastic,” Villasenor said. “CCWN has a lot of pride instilled in itself. The opportunity came up to apply for the CCWN head football coach position, and it just felt right. I have spoken with people around the community who always speak kindly of not only CCWN’s athletes, but also their teachers, administrators and staff –which made the job very attractive.” Rather than worry about the level of competition he is up against, Villasenor is instead polishing up his presentation for his interview on Monday. “You cannot worry about who else has applied,” Villasenor said. “You just need to be yourself, explain to the hiring committee why you are the right person for the job and approach it like you would a game. You have to prepare, have the right mind set going in and focus on coming out with the victory.” If hired, the CCWN post would be Villasenor’s first as a head football coach - a challenge he gladly welcomes. “Coming from a coordinator’s position, I would be in charge of more coaches and kids,” Villasenor said. “As a head coach, now you are in charge of an entire staff, and about 200-250 kids starting from the seventh grade and all the way up to the high school varsity level. But those are all responsibilities that I am willing to take on if given the opportunity.” Paul Leslie Beattie (a 1992 graduate of EPHS) is another one of the aspirants being interviewed on Monday. Beattie is currently the secondary coach for John B. Connally High School in Pflugerville. Beginning his career in 1999, Beattie has also coached at Galveston Ball, Austin LBJ, Austin Johnston, Austin Travis, and Desoto before arriving to Connally. “The truth is that I jumped at the chance to come home,” Beattie said. “I have always felt that being from Eagle Pass, the community did a lot for me while I was growing up. A lot of my teachers took the time to help me get through school. And I always felt that if I ever got a chance to come back and give something to the community, that I would. This is my opportunity.” Beattie is also familiar with Villasenor. “I love Eric like a brother,” Beattie said. “I am close to his family. Eric and I hung out and grew up together, so you look forward to the competition, but you just wish it was not against someone you respect so much.” This would be Beattie’s first head football coaching job. “This is a job that I truly want,” Beattie said. “Being exposed to so many things having coached at so many different areas in Texas, I would love the opportunity to bring back that knowledge to the athletes of CCWN.” Also applying for the CCWN job were Ross E. Moore, Lamar Rodriguez Jr., John Torres, Jesus A. Villasenor, Richard R. Alaniz, Albert L. Byrom, Cesar De Los Santos, and Mark A. De Hoyos. EPISD’s eventual hire will replace George Ruiz who led the Mavericks during the last four seasons. Ruiz was only the second coach to ever lead the Mavericks in their seven-years of existence. David Charles was CCWN’s head coach during the previous three years. (Rey Sifuentes Jr. is the sports editor of the Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune which is located in East Texas. He is also a 1992 graduate of Eagles Pass High School. Sifuentes can be reached on Facebook and at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also follow him through Twitter at @sportspirate.)