GANAS! Leading from the Heart

Few coaches have made more of an impact on Alisal High School sports than Terry Epinosa, who led the Trojan wrestling team to four league championships and the 1975 Central Coast Section Title before coaching the softball team to four league titles. He also served as the school’s athletic director for six years and officiated high school wrestling from 1985 to 1993, honored with a lifetime achievement award by the California Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Born in Michoacán, México, Roberto Rodriguez-Flores came to Salinas at age 7, his father and grandfather part of the Bracero Program for temporary workers to labor in the fields. Following his graduation from Alisal High School he faced a crossroads — work in the fields cutting lettuce or attend San Jose State. He jumped at the chance to enroll in the liberal studies program at SJSU. After earning his degree and teaching credential, he came back to teach in the Alisal District at Sanborn Elementary in 1995, just before the school changed its name to Jesse G. Sánchez Elementary. Rodriguez quickly rose through the ranks, earning his administrator’s credential by studying evenings, and becoming principal at Jesse G. Sánchez, giving back to the community that gave him so much. He’s now the principal at Oscar Loya Elementary in Salinas.

Willie Barcena is one of the sharpest minds in comedy, using universal material that appeals to a wide audience. His security guard, plumber, roofer and limo driver gigs gave him a background for his humor about everyday life. His 12 “Tonight Show” appearances are among the most among any comedian and by far the most for any Latino comedian. A 20-year comedy veteran and road warrior, Barcena brings laughs and insights all over the world, including many shows for the troops stationed abroad. He has appeared on many TV shows, including “Moesha” and “The Wayans Brothers,” and he was chosen to be the host of the popular SI-TV production “Latino Laugh Festival — The Show.”

Proving that great coaches do more than blow whistles and plan strategy, Jason Ludwig strives to make an even greater impact off the court. As an assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Santa Clara, Ludwig has helped the program to five winning records and coached 11 all-conference players. But it’s off the court where he’s really had an impact, especially when it comes to underprivileged youth. Ludwig co-founded the Coaches Social at the Final Four, a premier event geared toward networking hundreds of coaches across the nation. Ludwig is president and founder of the Latino Association of Basketball Coaches, which provides support, education and networking opportunities to Latino coaches worldwide. In 2005, Ludwig created JL Hoops Camp, to give youth from low socio-economic environments a free basketball camp  in his hometown of Montebello (East Los Angeles).

As athletic director and vice principal at Palma School in Salinas for the last five years, Rob Bishop brings vast leadership experience – much of it on the basketball court. Bishop is the former head basketball coach at California State University, Monterey Bay, overseeing all aspects of the program for more than 8 years. Before CSU Monterey, Bishop served as an assistant coach at Northern Arizona University for six seasons. He also served as an assistant at California State University, Chico, where he received his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1996 and masters in physical education with an emphasis in coaching in 2001.

A high school administrator with a history of coaching and guiding kids for more than three decades, Art Hunsdorfer bleeds the purple and gold of Salinas High School. Over the course of 33 years at SHS, he has served as director of athletics, academic guidance counselor, head baseball coach, and assistant football coach. He’s also a former SHS graduate (the class of 1981). His great love is the sport of baseball, and as the head coach of the SHS program for 18 years he made the playoffs 16 times, winning more than 350 games. Hunsdorfer was the associate head coach at Cabrillo College from 2015-2020, and previously coached at Palma School. He also spent three years coaching in the California Collegiate Summer League. Hunsdorfer earned a degree in sociology from Fresno State University, has a masters in education and a doctorate in education leadership.

Jean Ashen has seen many athletes come through North Salinas in her 30-plus years as athletic director, and has affected each and every one of them in at least some small way. Perhaps the most respected athletic director in Salinas history, Ashen won the Athletic Director of the Year award from California State Athletic Directors’ Association in 2018. A former three-sport athlete at North Salinas High, Ashen earned a degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She returned to her alma mater in 1992 to teach and work as athletic director.

Former Everett Alvarez High School Eagle Brian Vazquez returned to the campus where he earned a Division I athletic scholarship in 2004 – becoming the new Athletic Director in 2017. Knowing he had one of the deepest pools of athletic talent in the city, Vazquez set out to change the culture of the athletic department, beginning with school pride. A class of 2004 graduate, Vazquez attended Fresno State and excelled in the classroom and as a hammer thrower, finishing sixth in the NCAA Division I West Regional. He earned his degree in Kinesiology and teaching credentials then headed back home to the Salinas Valley.

Matt Briney was “feeling pumped” in 2019 when he accepted the job as athletic director at Salinas’ newest school Rancho San Juan High School. After teaching and coaching at Everett Alvarez for 8 years, the Southern California native joined the Trailblazers. Sportsmanship is the top priority at Rancho San Juan High School with everyone following the six pillars of good character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Fairness and Citizenship.

Georgia-born Sunil Smith has made his mark in Salinas — on and off the football field. He began his coaching career at Alisal High School by transforming a dismal program into an annual contender. An Educational Specialist at Alisal High School for 16 years, he is currently on faculty in the Physical Education/Kinesiology Department at AHS. He also works as a resource specialist at El Puente School, and is active in community service.