Bio

Coaching both the men’s and women’s teams in certain sports such as golf, tennis, track and field and cross country is not at all unusual. Having the kind of success that Mesa golf coach John Guerrero has achieved however, is rare indeed.

  Guerrero took over the women’s team in 2001 and launched an unprecedented run of success that stretched until last season. He took the reins of the men’s team in 2005, and while the overall accomplishments haven’t quite equaled the women’s the MCC men reached a height the women have not yet attained, a national championship.

  Beginning that first season with the women, the T-Birds went on a run that saw them win 17 of the next 18 Region I titles. In fact, Mesa captured 83 consecutive conference tournaments over a span of 12 seasons until a variety of factors conspired to leave him with only three recruited players last year, not enough to compete in regular season tournaments.

  During the previous 12 years MCC placed in the top 10 at the NJCAA Division I national championships ten times. In Division I schools are permitted to award room and board as part of their regular scholarship aid. Mesa is not. In fact, T-Bird teams are not allowed to offer any kind of scholarship aid to out-of-state residents by ruling of the school’s governing board, the Maricopa County Community College District. Other DI schools may do so.

  Guerrero has had eight All-American players and dozens of all-conference winners.

  The Mesa men compete in NJCAA Division II, making the playing field a little bit more level.

  The T-Birds reached that ultimate goal, the national title, in 2017, giving MCC an even 20 national titles across the board in all sports.

  In his 15 seasons with the men, Mesa has placed in the top ten in NJCAA national competition eight times including a second-place finish and three in third place. He has coached 19 All-Americans.

  It takes a little extra work to coach two teams at the same time, but John Guerrero has made it look easy.

kalguerrero@hotmail.com
480-580-9461