Gavilan College Names Alumnus Joffre Longoria as Head Football Coach
GILROY, Calif. — Gavilan College announced Tuesday the appointment of Gilroy native and college alumnus Joffre Longoria as its new head football coach and manager of the RAMS Athletic Academic Mentorship Program (RAAMP).
Longoria, who played for the Rams in 1995-96 and was part of the team that won a bowl game against Fresno City in 1996, will officially begin his duties May 14.
"My dream when I got into coaching was to come back home and take over the program," Longoria said. "I've been working towards that for 25 years."
Athletic Director Jamie Adams said Longoria stood out among a competitive field of candidates from across the country, including applicants from Texas, Illinois and other parts of California.
"It was pretty obvious, his commitment to student-athletes, to Gavilan, and to the community," Adams said. "He's already been a part of our Ram Fam — and still is, because we're all Ram Fam for life."
Longoria brings extensive coaching experience to the position, having previously coached at Gilroy High School, Christopher High School, Andrew Hill High School in San Jose, and three minor league football teams. Most recently, he served five years at San Jose City College.
In his dual role, Longoria will lead the football program while overseeing RAAMP, which provides academic support and mentoring to all Gavilan student-athletes.
"Academics has to be a priority," Longoria said. "Without the academic side, there's no reason for the athletics. You can be as good as you want as an athlete, but if you don't pair that with academic success, you won't be able to advance to the next level."
Longoria plans to implement study halls and utilize student resources to help athletes succeed academically. The program will include weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions to address individual needs.
His immediate goals include increasing athletic participation from local high schools and helping athletes earn scholarships for transfer to four-year institutions. Long-term, he aims to build a "powerhouse program" at Gavilan College.
"My vision is to strengthen the connection between Gavilan football and our community," Longoria said. "We're focused on developing a program that the community can take pride in, and bringing local talent back to Gavilan, which is essential to both our program's and the students' success."
The team will begin summer training sessions in June. To boost community involvement, Longoria plans to introduce themed game days throughout the season, including youth football recognition events, alumni gatherings, military appreciation days and other special community activities.
Adams emphasized that while winning is important, the college's primary focus is developing successful graduates.
"Our priority is developing well-rounded student-athletes who can succeed beyond their time at Gavilan," Adams said. "While building a competitive program is important, our ultimate goal is providing these young men with the tools and opportunities they need for long-term success in both athletics and life."
As the football program prepares for this new chapter, Adams extended her gratitude to outgoing coach John Lango for his quarter-century of leadership.
"Coach Lango's contributions to Gavilan College football are immeasurable," Adams said. "He built an exceptional foundation that gives Coach Longoria a tremendous platform to launch this exciting new chapter in our program's history."