La Cueva's Amber Ashcraft on doorstep of 500 wins, adding to legacy as state's winningest soccer coach
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Every time the La Cueva High School girls soccer team wins a game, Amber Ashcraft extends one record, and inches closer to another.
On Friday afternoon at Eldorado, Ashcraft鈥檚 Bears take on their District 2-5A archrivals. But few people outside of the La Cueva program鈥檚 bubble are likely aware that Ashcraft is on the threshold of a milestone victory.
If La Cueva (8-3) beats Eldorado (8-1-1), that would be career win No. 500 at La Cueva for Ashcraft, New Mexico鈥檚 winningest coach.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those milestones that I never thought I would hit,鈥� said Ashcraft, 50. 鈥淣ow that it鈥檚 here, it鈥檚 super special.鈥�
No man or woman in New Mexico has coached more soccer wins, in either gender, than Ashcraft, who is in her 29th season at La Cueva.
There have been, after Wednesday鈥檚 2-1 decision over Sandia, 499 victories. There have been only 92 losses, and 11 draws. If she doesn鈥檛 get to 500 on Friday, her next chance comes Wednesday, against Capital.
鈥淚 think that it鈥檚 something very special to be able to maybe be the first women鈥檚 (high school) soccer coach in the nation to hit 500, and do it all at the same school. That鈥檚 a big thing for me,鈥� Ashcraft said.
The National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, has a list of the coaches who have won the most games nationally.
Unofficially, Ashcraft ranks 11th on this list. The 10 coaches in front of her are all men. No. 10 on the NFHS site is Tim Storch of Michigan. Ashcraft started the season with 491 wins, but her name, oddly enough, does not appear on the NFHS list, which is why it is difficult to gauge the precision of the NFHS records.
Only one of the top 10 on the NFHS list, Jamie McGroaty of New Jersey, remains active. Ashcraft would likely not crack the top 10 (she鈥檇 need 527 victories) until the latter stages of the 2026 season, at the earliest.
She was 21 鈥� a time, she admitted, when 鈥淚 knew nothing鈥� 鈥� when she coached her first game for the Bears. Ashcraft now has two children who are older than she was (23 and 22) when she began. A reliable support system within her family, she said, was invaluable to her coaching career.
La Cueva has bagged 10 state championships under her stewardship, and that includes an undefeated title in her first season (1997). She was Amber Cronk for the school鈥檚 first couple of blue trophies.
Her name changed, but the Bears鈥� continued excellence has not. Consider that La Cueva reached the state championship game eight other times.
鈥淟ongevity for female coaches is harder,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey have children, they get caught up in their lives, being able to have a long career for a woman is more difficult.鈥�
But Ashcraft said she retains a great passion for coaching La Cueva.
鈥淚 still have the same fire that I鈥檝e always had, because I have high expectations of my players and my team and that has never changed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t just comes out a little bit different with me getting older.鈥�
As for what specifically has sparked all this success, she cited various factors: her philosophy; the quality of La Cueva鈥檚 athletes and their soccer acumen; and her system.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all of those things,鈥� Ashcraft said. And this brew is still working just fine.
鈥淚n some ways, (coaching) is even more important to me now, because I see the impact,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 love my players, I love my program. Knowing that this has been the legacy I鈥檝e created, I have more excitement to get up and keep the legacy going, and keep our traditions going at La Cueva.鈥�
