Mexico: Jefes de Ciudad Juárez hire Lorenzo Gathers as first American HC in LFA

The Jefes de Ciudad Juárez of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional in Mexico hire Lorenzo Gathers as their new head coach.

The long-time high school coach becomes the first ever foreign head coach in the LFA’s history. Gathers‘ background is even more interesting than just being the first American coach in the league as he also spent 19 years in the United States Army, which instilled experiences and teachings that have shaped him.

After his time in the military, Gathers became a head coach for high school teams in both New Mexico and El Paso, Texas and is now ready for his first foray into the professional ranks with the Jefes.

In an interview with the LFA’s Fernanda Mayen, Gathers discussed the excitement and potential challenges he will face in Mexico:

“One of the challenges that I am facing at the moment is the issue of foreigners, because I had a plan already put together, however I had to modify it, but we are prepared to adapt to changes and since we love challenges, I am very enthusiastic about what is going to happen this year in the LFA.”

One big advantage that the Jefes have compared to most of the other LFA teams is that Ciudad Juárez is closer to the American border, so many of the local players are bilingual. This makes the transition easier for the rookie head coach, as the Jefes look to make a name for themselves in their first year in the LFA.