First-year Artesia High School assistant football coach Jeff Willingham knows all about the expectations that come with working alongside the most successful head coach in the state. After all, he himself is a product of that coach.

"I was a sophomore when Coach (Cooper) Henderson came to Ruidoso," said Willingham, a 1987 graduate of RHS, where he played both quarterback and strong safety.

When asked if the opportunity to coach under Henderson affected his decision to relocate to Artesia, Willingham didn’t hesitate: "Definitely.

"Having the opportunity to coach with him is something I couldn’t pass up," Willingham said. "To learn from him is a great opportunity that not a lot of people get."

Following his graduation from Ruidoso High, Willingham moved on to Eastern New Mexico University where he continued his football career with the Greyhounds. From there, he spent 10 years in Clovis working as a superintendent for a contractor until, he says, "I woke up and basically realized that was not my calling – that wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing."

Willingham coached football, basketball and track in Portales for two years before coming to Artesia this year. He currently teaches P.E. at Artesia Junior High and will also instruct the AHS sophomore boys’ basketball team.

Willingham cites his own past coaches as main influences in his decision to enter the field.

"It was really just the coaches I had growing up that made me want to do this," he said. "I joke around with the other coaches here that I’m one of the few people that played on a team that had a winning record against Artesia, but the truth of the matter is, the reason we were so successful in Ruidoso is because we had Artesia High School coaches – Cooper Henderson, Ronnie Maskew and Clendon Kirkpatrick.

"That Artesia influence at Ruidoso is truly what made ours a successful program, and it’s what made me want to be a coach."

Willingham says his favorite part of coaching is seeing the excitement of the athletes when they experience success.

"I love the interaction with the kids," said the coach. "Seeing the kids be successful at something and get really excited about it is the best part of this job.

"For instance, if a running back isn’t doing something right and you tell him how to correct it, seeing his reaction the first time he has success is just amazing."

Willingham says he and his wife, Robin, and two children – a daughter, 7, and a son, 3 – couldn’t be happier with their decision to move to the City of Champions.

"I love it here," Willingham said. "This is a great community. Everyone has really welcomed me and been so supportive. It’s neat to walk into a convenience store and have somebody say ‘Hey, you’re the new coach.’ It’s not like that in other places. It’s really neat to see how excited the community gets over these kids and their programs."

An exuberant, friendly person with a contagious sense of humor, Willingham also says his fellow coaches have made his transition to Artesia a pleasant one.

"Everyone’s made me feel like I just stepped right in and became one of the guys. It’s a really good experience."

As for his hobbies, Willingham says his free time is definitely limited during football season but he enjoys spending any spare time that comes his way with his family.

"We do a lot of things together," he said. "My two kids are involved in a lot of activities – soccer, Little League sports, a riding club – and so we usually spend all of our free time as a family."

With his first three games with the Bulldogs behind him and the team’s record at 3-0, Willingham says he is looking forward to the remainder of the football season and continued success in his new home.

"I’m really excited about this season," said Willingham. "It’s hard for me to judge, with this being my first year, in terms of how we are as compared to last season, but in our first games I’ve seen a lot of positive things.