Reed has a new girls basketball coach, but he's not new to the school. Joe Vega was there when the Raiders' women's teams were winning and competing in regional and state championships, where he helped coach the men's teams.
Joe Vega will take over the Raiders' program, replacing Gredomartin Bautista, who had to step down to spend more time with his young family. Bautista will remain on Reed's staff as an assistant coach.
Vega, believed to be the first Tongan coach in Nevada high school sports, helped coach the Reed boys when Dustin Hall was the boys coach in 2013. The Reed girls team won the state championship in 2012 and was the annual favorite in many other seasons.
As well as the Reed women's team, he will also coach the Tonga U-15 women's team, which will compete internationally starting with the Oceana Cup in Australia in October.
Tonga will play in the Asian Cup in 2025 and, if all goes well, the U-17 World Cup in 2026.
“This is their first girls U-15 basketball team and the first time they have recruited Tongan basketball players across the state,” he said. “They want to extend their reach to Tongan basketball players around the world.”
The team will be in Reno for training camp ahead of the Oceana Cup.
“When I heard that I was the first Tongan coach here in Reno, that I got the Tongan national team job and that I was the first Tongan head coach here in Nevada, I felt like everything was falling into place. I can't believe it,” he said.
He said three local girls including Rosie Puloka, Daija Green and his daughter Remedy Vega would join Tonga's U-15 team.
Vega also helped his brother Robert Vega coach the Reed JV at a time when the Reed Girls were competing for the title.
Joe Vega also coaches 5th through 8th grades for the Reno-Sparks youth team, the Nike Nevada Storm team, and its minor league program.
Vega said the Raiders can return to those glory days.
“I believe with the right guidance and mentorship and having Gredomartin back as one of my assistants, we can accomplish those goals,” Joe Vega said. “We have girls and we're really excited about our youth program to get them into the lead. It's going to be a special group.”
