soccerNM.com

ALBUQUERQUE - One of the winningest coaches in NM high school history will be joining one of the winningest programs in NM high school history.

Ron Allen, who took a year off from high school soccer after a distinguished career as the Sandia boys coach, will be joining St. Pius this fall as associate head coach as part of a transition to eventually replace Michael Strati as head coach.

“I knew he had some more coaching left in him,” Strati said. “I thought it would be a good fit.”

A good fit indeed.

In 17 seasons at Sandia, Allen compiled a 346-95-13 record. He built a program steeped in tradition, character, success and doing things the right way.

And that’s been the way things have been done at St. Pius, where 16 state championship trophies reside.

Allen himself has won one, that coming in 1992. And he’s reached the championship match six other times. What’s more, the Matadors had a long history of sending players to the collegiate ranks.

“Coming to St. Pius is a great opportunity to get back to what I enjoy doing,” Allen said. “I feel like I’m tiptoeing on hallowed ground.”

He very nearly took a job as head coach at Durango High School in Colorado, which would have meant time away from his family.

“I had two days to make a decision when St. Pius called,” Allen said. “They said they were going to be going through a transition and would I be interested.”

Strati, himself a St. Pius graduate who also was a star player at the University of New Mexico, said bringing in Allen was a no-brainer.

“He’s got 25 years of experience, but more than that, he’s done so much for high school soccer in New Mexico,” Strati said. “He’s known around the country for what he’s done here in New Mexico.”

The way things are done at Pius is similar to the way Allen believes it should be done.

“St. Pius has had tremendous success with state championships and developing kids with character,” Allen said. “I think I’ve been able to do the same thing. I haven’t won as many state championships, but we’ve had success and we’ve produced kids who are successful.”

Strati, who has been at the helm since 2007 and was an assistant to Tristani for years prior, said his children are getting to the age where he would like to spend more time with them on the soccer field and off. He’s won two state championships in his three seasons as head coach.

“I still want to be involved with the St. Pius program,” he said. “I just don’t want the responsibility of having to be at every practice and doing everything that a head coach has to do.”