Reed has a new girls basketball coach, but he's not new to the school. Joe Vega, was helping coach the boys team there back when the Raiders girls were winning or competing for Regional and state championships.
Joe Vega takes over the Raiders program for Gledmartin Bautista, who had to step away to spend more time with his young family. Bautista is expected to remain on the Reed staff as an assistant coach.
Vega, believed to be the first Tongan coach in Nevada high school sports, was helping coach the Reed boys in 2013 when Dustin Hall was the boys coach. The Reed girls won the state championship in 2012 and were annual contenders in many other seasons.
He's not only going to coach the Reed girls, but also the Tonga U-15 girls team that will compete internationally, starting in October in Australia in the Oceana Cup.
The Tongan team will compete in the Asia Cup in 2025 and in 2026 for the U-17 World Cup if it works out.
"This is their first-ever U-15 basketball team for girls and this one of their first time they are recruiting for Tongan basketball players throughout the states," he said. "They want to branch out to Tongan basketball players all over the world."
The team will be in Reno for training camps ahead of the Oceana Cup.
"When it came up that I was the first Tongan coach here in Reno, it feels crazy how everything is falling into place, with getting the Tonga job and being the first Tongan head coach here in Nevada," he said.
He said three local girls will be on the Tongan U-15 team, including Rosie Puloka, Deyjah Green and his daughter, Remedee Vega.
Vega also helped his older brother Robert Vega coach the Reed JV in those years the Reed girls were contending for titles.
Joe Vega also coaches youth teams in Reno-Sparks, the Nike Nevada Storm team and its minor league programs, for fifth through eighth graders.
Vega said the Raiders can get back to those glory years.
“With the right guidance and mentors we have, bringing Gledmartin back as one of my assistants, I believe we can reach those goals,” Joe Vega said. “With the girls we have, and I’m really excited about my youth programs, to get them to Reed. That’s going to be a special group.”
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Reed hires Vega to take over girls basketball program
Local News
Comments / 0