Aug. 16, 2026, 5:01 a.m. MT
Juan “Choppy” Orozco loves coaching, loves competing and loves winning.
What he loves even more is people and helping others become successful in life.
After 47 years of coaching football and baseball on the pre-high school and high school levels — most notably at Coronado High School on El Paso’s West Side — Orozco is retiring from teaching and full-time coaching.
“All the players I coached were like my own kids,” said the 70-year-old Orozco, who taught health and physical education in high school. “I love hearing from former players, I love when they come back to visit and update me with their lives.
“What’s important is they are doing well and happy in life. Hopefully I helped them along the way. It was worth being involved for this many years, all the great teams, great people and many great memories. Helping others, that’s what’s most important.”
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Orozco graduated from Coronado in 1974 and played football and competed in track and field. But he always had a passion for baseball, a sport he loved growing up in El Paso.
After coaching at the middle school level, he later joined the football and baseball staffs with the Thunderbirds.
“Coronado has been a special place to me, so many great people, so many great memories,” Orozco said. “People have impacted my life in so many ways and made my life better.”
Orozco was mentored by several people, including football coaches Jack Quarles and Don Brooks.
“Having spent time with coaches like coach Brooks and coach Quarles helped me become a better coach and understand the kids better,” Orozco. said. “But I was fortunate to be around so many great coaches, I learned from all of them.”
Who were some of the top players Orozco coached?
In baseball, Orozco coached the likes of Jim Wadworth, Ray Herrera, Jordan Fisher, Will SteinmannRocky Coppinger, Nick Olea, Ivan Melendez and Ben Wilson.
In football, he coached the likes of wide receiver Cole Freytag and running back Toraino Singleton at Coronado and during a five-year stint at Montwood High School, he helped coach Robert Rodriguez and Edward Britton, who were both talented running backs.
A coach’s life comes with lots of sacrifice, and Orozco was no different. Orozco credited his wife Barbara, son Nick and daughter Alexis for his ability to make it work.
“My family helped me so much and supported me so much and that was so important to me through the years,” Orozco said. “Without their love and support, I couldn’t have done what I did.”
Orozco was the head coach in 1992 in his first stint as the head coach of the Thunderbirds when he guided the team to the Class 5A state semifinals. Orozco was the head coach from 1990-96 and then again from 2014-26.
Coronado defeated Hanks, Odessa Permian, Denton and Grapevine before losing to Freeport Brazoswood in the state semifinals.
In 1993, Coronado lost a 10-9 heartbreaker to Abilene Cooper in the Class 5A state quarterfinals, just missing a second straight trop to the Final Four. Among the teams the Thunderbirds defeated in the 1993 playoffs were Lubbock Monterey, Midland Lee and Denton.
“Making it to the Final Four was amazing and that was a truly special team,” Orozco said. “The 1993 team was really talented, we lost a heartbreaker to a good team. That 1993 season we had a couple of tough injuries that hurt us. I was really proud to be associated with those teams.”
‘He’s a legend.’ What others say about Orozco
“Coach Orozco is a great person, he’s unselfish, he’s dedicated and he loves Coronado High School,” said Thunderbirds football coach Mike Pry, a 1995 Coronado HS grad and who was coached by Orozco. “He’s a legend. He is someone you listen to and has great understanding of people.”
Added Nick Olea, a 2024 Coronado HS graduate and former baseball player: “Coach Orozco helped give me confidence as a player and he’s done that for so many others. Coach works hard and he accomplished so much in his career.”
Added El Paso Independent School District Director of Athletics David Cervantes: “Coach Orozco has been a great ambassador for our district and he;s impacted so many people’s lives. He taught me in elementary school and he was always a positive influence in many ways. He’s great with people, he’s humble and simply wants the best for people.”
Felix F, Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X