Job Title: High School Teacher / Head Boys Wrestling Coach

Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

 

Reports to: Principal / Athletic Coordinator / Executive Director of Athletics

Pay Grade: Teacher Pay + Coaching Stipend

 

Dept./School: Palmview High School

Initiated Date: March 2026

 

WHO WE ARE

 

La Joya Independent School District is committed to excellence for students, staff, and the community. With a strong legacy in the Rio Grande Valley, La Joya ISD is focused on providing high-quality academic, athletic, and extracurricular opportunities for all students.

 

The district’s vision, Educational Excellence: The Right of Every Student, reflects our commitment to ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education and opportunities that support student success.

Our work is rooted in the district’s core priorities:

1. Customer Service


2. Trust & Transparency


3. High-Quality Instruction


4. Excellence in Leadership


5. Integrity & Accountability

La Joya ISD serves more than 22,000 students across more than 30 schools and is committed to building systems that support academic achievement, athletic excellence, student leadership, and community pride.

 

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

 

La Joya ISD seeks a committed, motivated, and highly organized educator-coach to serve as a High School Teacher and Head Boys Wrestling Coach at Palmview High School. The ideal candidate will be passionate about student development, classroom instruction, wrestling fundamentals, athletic competition, and building a wrestling program rooted in discipline, toughness, accountability, character, and excellence.

 

We are looking for a leader who:

• Demonstrates excellence in classroom instruction and wrestling coaching.


• Holds high expectations for student-athletes academically, behaviorally, and athletically.


• Develops and implements a competitive boys wrestling program focused on fundamentals, technique, conditioning, strength, flexibility, mat awareness, mental toughness, and match strategy.


• Builds a culture of accountability, commitment, sportsmanship, work ethic, discipline, and continuous growth.


• Leads by example through professionalism, organization, integrity, consistency, and personal discipline.


• Grows the wrestling program through student recruitment, retention, feeder alignment, and broad student participation.


• Teaches and develops wrestling fundamentals, including stance, motion, hand fighting, takedowns, escapes, reversals, breakdowns, riding, pinning combinations, defensive positioning, and match management.


• Mentors assistant coaches and supports vertical alignment with middle school wrestling programs when applicable.


• Builds strong relationships with students, families, faculty, staff, and community partners.


• Promotes equity, broad student participation, and multi-sport athlete development.


• Supports academic accountability, eligibility, attendance, and student success.


• Commits to continuous professional growth and year-round program improvement.

WHY LA JOYA ISD

 

You will be joining a district that is building on a strong tradition of achievement while continuing to improve systems, expectations, and opportunities for students. La Joya ISD is committed to developing student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in the community.

The district values strong leadership, student-centered decision-making, athletic program development, and a unified approach to building pride across all campuses.

 

WHY PALMVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

 

Palmview High School is a proud learning community with a strong tradition of academic achievement, athletic pride, and community support. As the home of the Lobos, Palmview High School provides an outstanding opportunity for a Head Boys Wrestling Coach to lead, grow, and strengthen a competitive wrestling program.

 

The boys wrestling program has the opportunity to grow through intentional student recruitment, strong fundamentals, consistent training, and year-round development. The program should focus on building student-athletes from beginner to advanced levels while promoting discipline, confidence, toughness, sportsmanship, and pride in Palmview High School. The campus leadership team and athletic department are focused on supporting student achievement, athletic success, and a positive culture of high expectations.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

 

Education / Certification

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.


• Valid Texas Teaching Certificate.


• Valid CPR, AED, and First Aid certification.


• Completion of all required UIL coaching certifications and compliance trainings.

Experience

• Minimum of two years of coaching experience at the secondary level preferred.


• Experience as a head coach or lead assistant preferred.


• Demonstrated experience in developing student-athletes in wrestling.


• Experience organizing practices, duals, tournaments, offseason programs, summer strength and conditioning, and program development preferred.


• Experience developing beginner wrestlers and building program participation preferred.

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of TEKS and the ability to implement rigorous, standards-aligned instruction consistent with the La Joya ISD Instructional Framework.


• Strong knowledge of UIL rules, athletic compliance, eligibility requirements, weight management procedures, student-athlete supervision, and safety procedures.


• Knowledge of wrestling fundamentals, including stance, motion, level changes, penetration steps, hand fighting, takedowns, sprawls, escapes, reversals, riding, breakdowns, pinning combinations, mat returns, counter wrestling, and defensive positioning.


• Knowledge of folkstyle wrestling rules, scoring, match strategy, weight classes, tournament procedures, dual meet management, and referee communication.


• Ability to teach wrestling strategy, including match pacing, riding time awareness when applicable, scoring situations, edge wrestling, bottom/top/neutral strategy, clock management, and situational wrestling.


• Ability to develop practice plans, training cycles, conditioning programs, strength development, skill stations, technique progressions, and competitive match plans.


• Ability to promote safe wrestling techniques, injury prevention, hydration, nutrition education, and proper weight management expectations.


• Effective classroom and team management skills.


• Strong organizational, communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.


• Ability to work collaboratively with campus administration, athletic coordinators, assistant coaches, parents, athletic trainers, and community members.


• Ability to recruit, retain, and develop student-athletes while building a positive and competitive wrestling culture.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Instructional Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging, standards-aligned instruction in the assigned content area in alignment with the La Joya ISD Instructional Framework.


• Implement the district curriculum with fidelity to ensure rigorous, student-centered learning experiences.


• Develop and execute comprehensive lesson plans aligned to TEKS, district curriculum guides, and campus instructional priorities.


• Establish clear learning objectives and communicate high academic expectations for all students.


• Use formative and summative assessment data to monitor student progress and adjust instruction.


• Differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.


• Provide timely, specific, and actionable feedback to promote student growth and accountability.


• Maintain an organized and structured classroom environment that maximizes instructional time.


• Implement proactive classroom management strategies that promote respect, engagement, and positive student behavior.


• Integrate technology and district-adopted instructional resources to support student achievement.


• Collaborate with colleagues in Professional Learning Communities to analyze data and improve instructional practices.


• Communicate consistently with parents and guardians regarding student progress, expectations, and concerns.


• Maintain accurate records of attendance, grades, accommodations, and required documentation in compliance with district policy.


• Participate in ongoing professional development to continuously improve instructional effectiveness.


• Support campus initiatives that promote academic excellence, character development, and student success.

Athletic Program Leadership

• Plan, organize, and implement the Palmview High School boys wrestling program.


• Develop a comprehensive boys wrestling program focused on fundamentals, skill development, conditioning, strength, flexibility, technique, match strategy, leadership, and team culture.


• Create practice plans that include stance and motion, hand fighting, takedowns, escapes, reversals, breakdowns, riding, pinning combinations, mat returns, defensive positioning, conditioning, live wrestling, and situational wrestling.


• Develop training programs that support student-athlete growth during the wrestling season, offseason, summer preparation, and athletic period.


• Organize and manage tryouts, rosters, weight classes, practice schedules, duals, tournaments, transportation, uniforms, equipment, hydration plans, and program events.


• Establish clear expectations for attendance, effort, discipline, communication, academic accountability, sportsmanship, weight management, and team conduct.


• Analyze athlete performance, practice data, match results, tournament results, scoring trends, strengths, weaknesses, and technique execution to improve training, player development, lineup decisions, and match strategy.


• Prepare student-athletes for district, regional, and state-level wrestling competition.


• Collaborate with the Athletic Coordinator, campus administration, assistant coaches, athletic trainers, and district athletic office to align program goals.


• Mentor assistant coaches and provide clear expectations for practice planning, supervision, student support, communication, skill instruction, and professional conduct.


• Support vertical alignment with middle school wrestling programs when applicable to build consistent systems, terminology, expectations, fundamentals, skill progressions, and student readiness for high school wrestling.


• Promote multi-sport participation and collaborate with football, track, cross country, soccer, and other coaches to support student-athlete success.


• Monitor student-athlete academic progress, attendance, behavior, and UIL eligibility.


• Maintain accurate records related to rosters, physicals, parent forms, eligibility, emergency contacts, weight certification, meet entries, travel, equipment, inventory, statistics, and required documentation.


• Ensure compliance with UIL, TEA, La Joya ISD, and campus athletic policies.


• Supervise student-athletes during practices, duals, tournaments, travel, offseason programs, summer workouts, and athletic events.


• Manage wrestling equipment, mats, uniforms, headgear, warm-ups, training supplies, safety supplies, and instructional resources responsibly.


• Promote a positive team culture centered on discipline, effort, accountability, sportsmanship, toughness, resilience, humility, confidence, teamwork, and pride in Palmview High School.

Wrestling Program Expectations

• Build a structured year-round wrestling program that supports varsity, sub-varsity, beginner, and feeder-level development.


• Develop a clear seasonal calendar that includes offseason strength and conditioning, preseason skill development, regular season competition, tournament preparation, district competition, regional preparation, state preparation, and postseason reflection.


• Establish a wrestling skill development plan that includes stance, motion, hand fighting, takedowns, defense, mat wrestling, escapes, reversals, riding, pinning combinations, chain wrestling, counter attacks, and situational wrestling.


• Create systems for tracking attendance, academic eligibility, practice performance, skill progress, weight certification, match results, injuries, and individual goals.


• Coordinate with athletic trainers regarding injury prevention, return-to-play procedures, hydration, skin condition protocols, weight management, and student-athlete wellness.


• Ensure practices, workouts, mat use, equipment use, travel, and off-campus activities are approved, supervised, and communicated in advance.


• Maintain strong communication with parents regarding practice times, match schedules, tournaments, transportation, expectations, nutrition, hydration, safety, weight management, and student-athlete accountability.


• Promote student leadership through team captains, peer mentoring, accountability groups, leadership activities, and positive team culture.


• Encourage participation from incoming freshmen, middle school feeder programs, and students from other sports who may benefit from wrestling development.


• Support the development of wrestlers across all levels, from first-year beginners to varsity-level competitors.


• Plan and support team-building activities that reinforce character, responsibility, commitment, confidence, discipline, and school pride.


• Use practice data, match results, and coach observations to set individual and team goals.


• Encourage student-athletes to represent La Joya ISD, Palmview High School, and the athletic program with pride and sportsmanship.

Wrestling Fundamentals, Moves, and Strategy Development

• Teach proper wrestling stance, movement, balance, level changes, footwork, hand fighting, and mat awareness.


• Develop wrestlers in neutral position skills, including setups, shots, single-leg takedowns, double-leg takedowns, high-crotch attacks, ankle picks, snap downs, front headlocks, sprawls, re-shots, and counter offense.


• Develop wrestlers in top position skills, including breakdowns, rides, mat returns, pressure, turns, tilts, half nelsons, cradles, bars, and pinning combinations.


• Develop wrestlers in bottom position skills, including base building, hand control, stand-ups, switches, sit-outs, Granby-style movement when appropriate, reversals, escapes, and chain wrestling.


• Teach defensive wrestling, including hip pressure, whizzers, down blocking, sprawl recovery, defending legs, clearing ties, defending turns, and preventing back points.


• Teach match strategy, including first takedown importance, wrestling through periods, scoring awareness, mat position, boundary wrestling, clock management, risk management, and late-match decision-making.


• Develop wrestlers’ mental toughness, confidence, composure, competitiveness, and ability to respond to adversity.


• Use film review, match analysis, and practice feedback to improve individual technique and team performance.


• Emphasize safe, controlled technique and proper progression from basic skills to advanced moves.


• Ensure wrestlers understand rules, scoring, referee signals, sportsmanship expectations, and tournament procedures.

Program Growth and Recruitment

• Create a plan to grow boys wrestling participation at Palmview High School through campus outreach, student recruitment, parent communication, and collaboration with other athletic programs.


• Promote wrestling as a sport that develops discipline, strength, toughness, confidence, body control, and mental resilience.


• Recruit and retain student-athletes across different grade levels, weight classes, and athletic backgrounds.


• Collaborate with football, track, cross country, soccer, and physical education staff to identify students who may benefit from wrestling.


• Develop beginner-friendly systems that allow new wrestlers to learn safely, gain confidence, and progress toward competition.


• Build a positive program identity that students want to join and remain part of.


• Promote consistent attendance, academic accountability, and long-term athlete development.


• Support feeder-level awareness and future middle school wrestling opportunities when applicable.


• Use camps, clinics, open mats when allowable, parent meetings, and campus promotion to increase participation and visibility.


• Celebrate student-athlete growth, academic progress, sportsmanship, leadership, and competitive success.

Compliance and Safety

• Maintain current CPR, AED, First Aid, concussion, heat illness, and UIL-required certifications.


• Follow all UIL, TEA, district, and campus safety guidelines during practices, duals, tournaments, travel, and athletic activities.


• Ensure all student-athletes have completed required physicals, forms, emergency contacts, and eligibility requirements before participation.


• Follow UIL and district expectations related to weight certification, weight management, hydration, nutrition, and safe participation.


• Monitor student-athlete safety during wrestling drills, live wrestling, conditioning, strength training, workouts, competitions, travel, and off-site activities.


• Implement appropriate emergency action procedures for wrestling facilities, practice areas, and competition sites.


• Report injuries, skin concerns, incidents, safety issues, and other concerns in a timely manner.


• Coordinate transportation, supervision, hydration, sanitation, equipment safety, and student accountability for athletic events.


• Inspect practice and competition areas for safety concerns, including mats, wall padding, equipment, locker rooms, and training spaces.


• Promote proper mat cleaning, hygiene, skin checks, and infection prevention practices.


• Maintain professional boundaries and ensure appropriate supervision of student-athletes at all times.


• Ensure students are never left unsupervised during practices, duals, tournaments, travel, offseason workouts, or team activities.

Community Engagement

• Communicate regularly and professionally with parents, students, staff, and community stakeholders.


• Promote the boys wrestling program through campus events, parent communication, feeder school engagement, student recruitment, youth wrestling connections, and community outreach.


• Encourage student-athletes to represent Palmview High School and La Joya ISD with pride, integrity, discipline, humility, and sportsmanship.


• Build positive relationships with families to support student participation, academic success, and athletic development.


• Model professionalism, integrity, accountability, respect, and servant leadership at all times.


• Support districtwide athletic initiatives and promote the One Pack culture across La Joya ISD.

Professional Responsibilities

• Participate in campus and district-level meetings, professional development, and athletic department trainings.


• Support school initiatives aligned to district priorities.


• Collaborate with faculty, staff, coaches, athletic trainers, and administrators to improve student outcomes.


• Maintain accurate documentation and meet all required deadlines.


• Follow all district policies, campus procedures, UIL guidelines, and athletic department expectations.


• Uphold district values of integrity, accountability, trust, transparency, and excellence in leadership.


• Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal, Athletic Coordinator, Executive Director of Athletics, or Superintendent’s designee.

WORKING CONDITIONS

 

Mental Demands

• Maintain emotional control under stress.


• Handle multiple priorities and competing deadlines.


• Exercise sound judgment and decision-making.


• Communicate effectively with students, parents, staff, and community members.


• Manage competitive, high-pressure athletic environments.


• Monitor student safety and decision-making during practices, duals, tournaments, travel, and competition.

Physical Demands

• Frequent standing, walking, jogging, lifting, bending, stretching, kneeling, demonstrating technique, and movement during practices and competitions.


• Ability to lift and carry equipment up to 50 pounds.


• Ability to demonstrate or assist with wrestling drills, stance and motion, takedowns, escapes, reversals, mat movement, conditioning, and strength activities when appropriate.


• Work in indoor and outdoor environments as needed.


• Exposure to physical contact, mat work, athletic equipment, heat, humidity, and extended practice or tournament settings.


• Extended hours including early mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends, holidays, tournaments, and travel.

Work Environment

• Classrooms, wrestling rooms, gyms, weight rooms, locker rooms, athletic facilities, competition venues, and community settings.


• Practices, duals, tournaments, district events, offseason workouts, summer conditioning, camps, clinics, feeder program activities, and travel.


• Frequent interaction with students, parents, coaches, administrators, athletic trainers, and community members.

POSITION WORKING DAYS

 

187 Days + Extended Days for Coaching Duties

Position Type: Full-Time

 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other responsibilities be performed when the needs of the district change.