I graduated from AHS in 1982. Upon graduation I was employed by Phelps Dodge. After the closure of the smelter I began my career in Law Enforcement. I worked for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety for two years and then transferred to work for the US Department of Transportation. I am currently stationed in Douglas, Arizona and oversee two Ports of Entry, one in Naco, AZ and one in Douglas. My job allows me to still live in Animas, which I am grateful for.
I am married to my beautiful wife Carrie and have three wonderful children. Zack (the oldest) is attending college at NMSU, Bianca who is attending collage at UNM, and Patrick who is a junior. On July 9th 2007, I became a proud grandparent of a beautiful baby girl. Our granddaughter’s name is Bryauna.
I have been coaching since the summer of 1984. I have coached youth soccer, little league baseball and of course HOYAS basketball. In 2003, I was given the opportunity to coach at a higher level. I have been the assistant Varsity High School Football and Basketball coach for the past five years. It is a position that I cherish, for it has allowed me to accomplish one of my personal goals.
I am very thankful for the opportunity to be able to coach at my Alma Mater, where I truly believe is where the best student athletes attend. Go Panthers.
Richard Thatcher was born in Prescott, Arizona on May 8, 1949. He graduated as valedictorian from Las Vegas Robertson High in 1967 and from New Mexico Tech in 1971, 1972, and 1978 with degrees in computer science, math, and Science Teaching.
He presently is married to Terri Thatcher and has a blended family of seven sons and 2 daughters. His youngest son, Chris, is a 5th grader at Animas Elementary. He has 9 grand children . Two of his sons, Clint and Drew, were D1 scholarship football players at NMSU and played for the Aggies.
Coach Thatcher started his coaching career at New Mexico Tech where he coached men’s and women’s volleyball and women’s basketball. In 1974 he started teaching and coaching in Truth or Consequences. He coached middle school football and track for 8 years and 4 years of middle school basketball, another two years as the JV basketball coach, and finally two years as the varsity coach. Later on the academic side, he took five of his computer science teams to nationals and finished 7th twice.
He retired from teaching in 2005, but found that he still wanted to teach and coach. So after a brief retirement, he has restarted his career as an assistant coach in football and basketball and math teacher here at Animas High School. Animas is a great place to live and Animas High is a great place to teach.
Coach Laborin is in his fifth year of coaching high school athletics. He started five years ago in Douglas, AZ as the Varsity assistant for the high school football team. He would spend the next two seasons at DHS coaching football and mid school basketball. Coach Laborin then moved back to NM where he received a teaching/coaching position with the Gadsden School District in Anthony, NM. At GHS Laborin began his career as a Special Education Teacher, he also was coaching varsity football as an assistant. After a year at GHS Laborin moved to Socorro, NM where he would spent the next year coaching football at the varsity level with an old college teammate. Coach Laborin then received an opportunity that he never thought would come up, the head football job at his old high school. So with only being in Socorro for a year Laborin decided to make the move back to his roots. Laborin is excited for the opportunity to come back Animas and is planning to make a long career out of it.
Ramon Nieblas, referred to as Monchie was born July 16, 1972 and grew up here in Animas, NM. He was part of “The Streak” for five years and enjoyed playing for Coach Henson. Soon enough he graduated from Animas High in 1991 and married shortly after. Coach Monchie has three girls, Nidia who is the oldest and is currently a Junior here at Animas High School, and twin girls Briana and Brianda, who are in the 4th grade at Sarah Marley Public School in Douglas, Az.
Monchie has been coaching for five years at Animas Public Schools. First as his brother, Ruben Nieblas’, assistant in Mid-School football. From there he moved on to being the head coach at the Middle School level for three years. Currently he is an Assistant Coach for the Varsity team.
Coach Monchie enjoys coaching football because he thinks of it as if he were back in high school. “I feel like I’m reliving my high school years watching these kids play, in reality all I can do is coach them and show them what they can do to make themselves better.” says Nieblas. Another thing coach Monchie mentioned is that he, along with all the other coaches, want to keep the pride going and all the tradition that there once was at Animas High School. An athlete’s heart and determination is what makes a winner.
