There are some coaches who will go their entire career without winning a ring. Jim Monaco is now one of those after closing out his 34-year coaching career Saturday in Waco, Texas, at the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl.
But after the way his Aztecs played and finished the season โ the last for Pima football โ he doesnโt need a ring.
โIโve had 34 years of incredible teams and memories and young men that Iโll never forget,โ Monaco said.
Six months ago, the Pima Community College Governing Board announced it would cut the football program following the 2018 season due to budget cuts and Maricopaโs own decision to do away with their four programs.
Many didnโt expect the team to qualify for the postseason, but after finishing the regular season 6-3 and ranked No. 20 in the NJCAA, the Aztecs were one of 18 teams around the nation that were able to play in a bowl.
โSaturday, after the game, was a touch emotional for me with everybody coming up and hugging and thanking me,โ Monaco said. โIt was like, this is it โ itโs it.
โEven after Western, there was an inkling of maybe itโs not it and thank God it wasnโt, but Saturday was it.โ
Pima head coach Jim Monaco finished the season and the football program with strong memories and satisfaction of a memorable year.
Unfortunately for the Aztecs, the bowl game against No. 4 Kilgore didnโt produce the result they would have liked. Pima lost, 28-0.
Quarterback Brooks Ringer may have broken his thumb early and played through it โ until Monaco ultimately decided to sub him out.
Although Pima had three takeaways, the team had five turnovers and too many three-and-outs.
The Aztecs had a chance to score when at the two-yard line, but threw an interception. The Rangers fumbled in the end zone and Pima had three players in position to recover, but all missed and a Kilgore player fell back on it for a touchdown.
Pima also had a handful of bad snaps, one of which cost them a safety.
โWe stunk,โ Monaco said. โWe were bad.โ
But still, Monaco said the trip was a success. About 200 Pima fans showed up for the game, athletes had a chance to be seen by other junior colleges or universities one more time and the entire team was treated spectacularly.
โItโs a wonderful (way) to end. It didnโt work in the scoreboard, but it was a great trip,โ Monaco said. โSure, I would have really liked a trophy that said โchampion,โ but those kids were champions. Those kids played their tails off โ not one guy quit.
โNobody did anything wrong, we had a nice safe trip and all I heard was how wonderful our kids were.โ
Now, Monaco will be able to wrap up his duties as football coach and devote himself to his new role as athletic director. As far as his coaches, he said some of them will use this time to take a break from coaching, others will try to find local jobs and a few will move on elsewhere.
The team and coaches will come together one more time for the Fall Sports Banquet, but then the football program will become just another part of Pima history.
And the archives will include Pima footballโs final season, which ended in the second-ever bowl game appearance in program history.
โNobody ever took it as โwell, nobody cares because weโre not going to be here next year,โโ Monaco said. โThe kids took a lot of pride in it. So, our season was amazing.โ
