Cleveland, Rio Rancho swim and dive teams have new head coaches

RIO RANCHO — Things look a little different for the Cleveland Storm and Rio Rancho Rams swim and dve teams.

"It's a little different than last year, but we are getting used to it," RRHS swimmer Charles Scott said.

This is the first season that the Cleveland Storm and Rio Rancho Rams teams have different head coaches.

"We are still 'buddy buddies.' We mess around, they joke, 'Oh, Rio is better!' But at the end of the day, we are all friends," CHS swimmer Chloe Ledesma said.

Despite the known CHS-RRHS rivalry, the swimming programs have always been together thanks to longtime head coach Stacy Salinas, who coached both squads since Cleveland opened.

"Coach Salinas has been here since forever. She's been a huge staple in Rio Rancho swimming,” RRHS swim and dive head coach Jeremiah Stanton said.

However, Salinas had to leave her position after she was promoted to an assistant principal at Cleveland.

Despite it being his first year as the RRHS head coach, Stanton has plenty of experience and is currently the head coach of the MAKO Aquatics Club, which is recognized by USA Swimming.

"So far, it's been really good. We have had a lot of communication and cooperation between head coaches and swimmers, but it does allow both coaches to really focus a lot more on each school," Stanton said.

On the other side of things, Cleveland promoted longtime assistant coach Patrick Dorman to head coach. Dorman was an assistant under Salinas for eight years.

"The swimmers are still good friends. They really want to do things together. So, we are really trying to not just split it, split the teams and split the relationships. We want those relationships, we want that camaraderie there, and I feel like having healthy competition is what's going to help us both be better teams,” Dorman said.

Even though both teams practice at the Rio Rancho Aquatic Center, both squads practice separately and are on different schedules.

"As a captain and as a senior — and just as someone who has been part of the team for a while — we have to step up and bring the team together," RRHS swimmer Yamileth Marquez said. "It doesn't mean there has to be this sort of hatred for each other. We were a team back in the day, we were a team once upon a time, we are still going to be a team even though we are split."

Despite some of the changes, both teams are ready to spearhead the season they're hoping will result in a state championship.

"We are a lot more driven, a lot more focused. We have an end goal in mind," CHS swimmer Dylan Schluep said.