Pueblo East baseball coach Latino to become Mesa Ridge AD
PUEBLO — After guiding the Pueblo East baseball program for 14 years, head coach D.J. Latino has chosen a different career path.
Latino has accepted a job as the athletic director at Mesa Ridge High School in Colorado Springs.
“I sincerely appreciate the confidence Mesa Ridge and the Widefield School District has placed in me,” Latino said. “I am excited to begin this new chapter in my professional career. I am very excited to become a part of the administrative team and to work with and for the staff, coaches, club and activity sponsors, student body and community of Mesa Ridge. I hope to bring to the ‘Grizzly Way’ the same energy, effort, work ethic, and passion I have extended to the Pueblo East Community over the years.”
Latino compiled a 143-132 record with the Eagles — 99-64 since 2007. His wins (143) and years coaching (14) were second-most in East baseball history. This past season East finished with a 14-7 record, losing to Wheat Ridge in the Class 4A District 7 championship, 7-0.
“I have been humbled and honored to have been East’s head coach for the past 14 years and I am sincerely grateful to all past and current players for their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the program,” Latino said. “It has been my privilege to have coached many fine young men. The relationships that were built with these players mean more to me than they will ever know and have actually resulted in several former players returning to help coach in our program.”
The Eagles made seven playoff appearances with Latino at the helm, including six out of the last seven years. East was the South-Central League champion in 2014 and Latino also was tabbed S-CL Coach of the Year that same season.
Latino also developed plans, organized and led efforts resulting in over $50,000 in baseball field and facility renovations at East. During Latino’s tenure, East has produced 23 college student athletes (11 at Colorado State University-Pueblo).
“I am proud of the perseverance it has taken to rebuild this present program and to continue to move it towards the now stable, successful, perennial state playoff team it has become,” Latino said. “My only regret is in not being able to see the journey through to a state championship, which I believe may very well be in the near future as the cupboard is full of talent and the field and facility have been acknowledged statewide and awarded the Colorado Dugout Club’s Colorado Field of the Year Award (in 2012) even before final projects were recently completed.”
