Ocampo resigns as Socorro football coach

Socorro High School for many years has been one of New Mexico’s outstanding Class 3A football programs.

But the Warriors find themselves looking for a coach right in the middle of the offseason.

Damien Ocampo, who led Socorro to a pair of state championship games during two separate stints as head coach with the Warriors, resigned Monday.

He coached Socorro from 2007-12, and then again from 2017-24. He’s been a contract coach for the Warriors, not on campus as much as he’d like.

“There were a lot of changes made in the past year that doesn’t give me the opportunity to really coach the way the program needs to be done,” Ocampo, 44, said. “These kids need a coach with boots on the ground, recruiting kids.”

Ocampo declined to delve into the specifics regarding the changes he referenced.

“Although we’ve had a lot of success, I still feel like the right thing to do (is step down),” he said. Ocampo was 114-40 as Socorro’s head coach and led the Warriors to seven district championships.

Under Ocampo, Socorro reached the 2009 championship game, where the Warriors fell to Lovington. Six years ago, Socorro lost to Hope Christian.

“We are one of the best programs, and have been for years, in 3A,” Ocampo said.

He said he previously had been able to run the program as he preferred, even with jobs outside the high school.

Ocampo said he would still be heavily invested in how the program moves forward.

“I care about this program. It’s so much a part of me,” he said. “But after the changes, I can’t do the job these kids deserve.”

Moreover, Ocampo said he didn’t think he’d be returning to such a job in the future.

“I love being around kids, (but) I know I don’t want to be a head football coach anymore, for sure,” he said, adding, “My calling in life is to be around youth and help them.”

Socorro was 8-3 last season, losing to New Mexico Military Institute in the quarterfinals of the 3A playoffs.