Balderas-Miller has drawn praise for ability to connect schools through sports
Candace Balderas-Miller recalls vividly her job interview at Molina High School more than a decade ago. Across the desk was Amanda Cofer, one of the few women to rise to the rank of campus athletic coordinator in Dallas ISD.
Balderas-Miller got the job, but also was inspired to think about a career path beyond the sidelines. After spending 10 years in various coaching roles at Molina, she was hired this summer as the new athletic coordinator at Hillcrest.
“I knew I wanted to move into athletic administration, but mostly it was about just doing the next right thing,” Balderas-Miller said. “I decided to throw my hat in the ring. To be honest, I did not expect to be the next one called up. Now that I’m here, the fit seems very right.”
She was an assistant athletic coordinator and soccer coach for most of her time at Molina. In her new role, she will be a coach for wrestling and powerlifting, as well as girls flag football at Hillcrest.
That versatility matches her background. Balderas-Miller has coached softball and volleyball with limited familiarity, too, and said those experiences will be valuable as she becomes an administrator overseeing all sports at the high school and feeder pattern campuses.
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“Once you become an established coach, if you’re a good coach, you can coach anything,” she said. “Wherever I’m needed, I’ve been able to slide in. I’m a lifelong sports person.”
She grew up playing soccer but her primary sport these days is rugby, which she played in college at Texas Tech. She still competes as part of a Dallas-based club team.
The first major coaching hire for Balderas-Miller was former Kimball assistant Jordon Adams as Hillcrest’s new head boys basketball coach.
She intends to focus on feeder school engagement and connectivity by establishing programming at middle and elementary schools tied to athletics, including sports academies where high school coaches hold clinics for young athletes.
“It’s a way for us to get involved and for the kids to get familiar with us, and the parents familiar with us, so they feel welcome,” Balderas-Miller said.
She also realizes the pride and responsibility that comes with being a Latina woman in a male-dominated field, and hopes to leverage her opportunity.
“We talk about representation, but I don’t know how much we realize the effectiveness of it. Latinos make up a large portion of our district and our student body at Hillcrest. It’s important that our students see somebody who looks like them in a position like mine so they can see what’s possible,” Balderas-Miller said. “It’s cool to represent, but the crown is also heavy.”
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