In a stunning turn of events, Manny Contreras will not return as Watsonville High’s head football coach for the upcoming 2026 fall season.
Contreras received the shocking news in January during a private meeting with school principal Joe Gregorio, forcing the Wildcatz skipper to step away after spending just two years with the program.
“I was blown away,” Contreras said. “I looked at [Gregorio] like it was a joke type of thing, like you’re kidding me.”
In 2025, the Wildcatz finished with a 4-6 overall record, and placed fourth in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission-North Division standings by going 2-3.
Watsonville went 8-12 in two years under Contreras. He has yet to be notified by the Pajaro Valley Unified School District of his stance with the district, and he believes it’ll just stay that way.
“There’s no transparency,” he said. “I do feel [PVUSD are] trying to sweep it under the rug.”
The Pajaronian has reached out to district administration for comment.
PVUSD Public Spokesman Alejandro Chavez issued the following statement via text message, “This matter involves a confidential personnel issue, and the District is unable to share specific details. Decisions like these are made in accordance with District policies and employment requirements. Our priority remains supporting students.”
Contreras said Gregorio told him during their closed-door meeting that a new PVUSD policy requires him to be an on-campus teacher, and he needs to complete a credentialed program in order to continue coaching.
Contreras said there have been no openings at Watsonville High, making it harder to establish himself as an employee.
Prior to taking the head coaching job in 2024, Contreras said he wasn’t required to have a credential in order to hold the position.
“It’s super frustrating, especially when you get it the way you get it,” Contreras said. “[Gregorio] was telling me ‘I kept telling you you need to be in a program.’”
The Pajaronian reached out to Gregorio but he was unavailable for a comment.
Contreras added that Gregorio told him PVUSD, under direction from Superintendent Heather Contreras and Assistant Superintendent Mike Berman, is allowing just on-campus credentialed teachers to coach the football, basketball and soccer programs.
According to Policy 4127 in PVUSD’s Board Policy Manual, all district coaches, including volunteer coaches, have to complete a coaching education program developed by the California Interscholastic Federation.
Part of that policy—which was last reviewed on June 6, 2008—states the superintendent establishes a criteria to ensure coaches possess an appropriate level of competence, knowledge and skill.
Yet, there is no mention that a coach must be an on-campus teacher.
Contreras recently received a Master’s degree at San Jose State University in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Emancipatory K12 School Leadership.
He’s currently enrolled and on track to begin his special education credential program in the summer.
It’s the exact path Gregorio encouraged Contreras to take when he was asked to be a permanent substitute in the Special Day Class classroom earlier this year.
“Still, [Gregorio] said there would be no coaching spot for me, and no other on-campus role either,” Contreras said.
After Watsonville High hired a credentialed teacher for that SDC position in November, Contreras asked for a campus security, behavior tech or instructional assistant position.
Up till now, Contreras said there was nothing on the market.
“[Gregorio] said his hands were tied and pushed me to resign quietly instead of going through non-renewal or termination,” Contreras said. “I followed the steps they laid out for me. Yet it all happened behind closed doors, with pressure to just disappear.”
Contreras added, “For a program that meant so much to our community, I believe families deserve transparency.”
Contreras, who established himself around the Watsonville community in 2009, believes he helped build a program that brought pride and opened doors for so many Brown and Black young men in the Pajaro Valley.
“Watsonville High School will forever be a part of me,” he said. “I’m proud of every moment we shared on that field and in those locker rooms. No regrets, just gratitude for the young men I got to coach and the community I got to serve.”
