David Soliz leaves a lasting legacy as a baseball coach at Rio Mesa High

Trailing by four runs in the sixth inning of its first-round playoff game, the Rio Mesa High baseball team didn't quit.

It stayed confident. It stayed focused. It stayed relentless.

Pretty much qualities coach David Soliz has instilled in all his teams for 22 years.

Rio Mesa rallied to pull itself into a 6-6 tie heading into the seventh inning of its matchup with Oaks Christian back on May 6. The Lions, who would go on to win the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 championship, were forced to dig deep for an 8-6 victory.

That turned out to be the final game in Soliz's storied coaching career at Rio Mesa. In 22 seasons, beginning in 2000, his teams piled up 336 victories.

"It was disappointing to lose that game, especially for the seniors who were going out with a tough loss," said Soliz. "But I could not have been prouder of the players. They never quit, and that is all I can ever ask.

"It was difficult for the players, and also for me. I knew what was next."

Soliz told his player shortly afterward that he was stepping down. School administrators already knew.

The good news? Soliz will still be a fixture at Rio Mesa High as a social science teacher. He will remain coach of the Conejo Oaks baseball club in the summer.

For Soliz, 49, its a simple matter that the timing is right to step aside from his high school coaching duties. Family now takes top priority.

"I've loved every moment coaching at Rio Mesa. I love coming out to practice every day. I still do. I've given 100% energy to the program. It's just time for me to focus on family."

There's a desire for much more time with wife Joelle, and for trips to Idaho to visit daughters Samantha and Makenna. Samantha is a 2020 graduate of Boise State.

His parents, Beban and Libby, live nearby and can expect a lot more visits with their son. So can brothers Steve and Richard.

Chris Ruffinelli, Rio Mesa's athletic director, said Soliz's impact went beyond wins and losses.

"There's no doubt that he left a stamp on Rio Mesa baseball that can never really be replaced," said Ruffinelli. "He won a lot of baseball games, but he was so much more important that. He made a positive impact on young men and helped them become productive members of society."

Soliz, a 1990 graduate of Rio Mesa and standout on the baseball team, went on to attend Cal State Los Angeles and graduated in 1994. He starred for the baseball team and became an assistant coach from 1995 to 1999.

The year 2000 became a watershed occasion for Soliz and Rio Mesa High. He accepted the position as his alma mater's and hometown baseball coach. Yep, the rest is history.

Besides the 300-plus victories, the Spartans were five-time Pacific View League champions from 2016 to 2021. Rio Mesa was undefeated in league in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Then there's 2009, when Pacific View League entries Rio Mesa, Camarillo and Oxnard all reached the CIF-SS postseason semifinals. The Spartans dropped a 5-4 heart-breaker to Vista Murrieta, which went on to defeat Camarillo in the championship game.

For Soliz, baseball is never about scoreboard. It's all about hard work and sacrifice and always putting the team as the No. 1 priority.

"It's not about seeking individual perfection, but doing all you can do to help the team achieve accolades," he said. "If you work hard every day, and getting better every day in practice and in games, then the season is a success."

Soliz always stressed to their players that they can forge their own legacy with the program.

"Make it your own," said Soliz. "That's what I always told the players. I wanted them all to be a good teammate, make sacrifices for the good of team, come out to practice every day with the idea of getting better.

"If you do that, it will be a special season."

Soliz lends a unique perspective to his coaching duties. He seeks to treat each player as a member of his family.

"As a coach, I want to teach lessons that they can use the rest of their lives," he said. "I try to be consistent and professional with them, because that's how I want my players to be.

"I'm always looking at them through the eyes of a parent. I know it's my responsibility to care for my players, to keep them safe and make sure they're having fun when they're out here.

"I think I've evolved as a coach. Each player is different. I need to treat them a little differently. I always want to respect them."

Soliz said the key word is "communication."

"I want each and every one of my players to feel like they're an important part of the team, because they are," he said. "If I ask a pitcher to go warm up and he ends up not being in the game, I make it a point to talk to them and tell them why that happened."

Soliz might best be summed up as an "old-school" coach. He treats social media like it's a two-run error. He's also as modest as a monk.

When Ruffinelli insisted on getting the word out that Soliz was resigning from his baseball position, the coach was not pleased.

"He was mad at me," Ruffinelli said. "He never wanted it to be a big deal. But I told him that it is that important. He's meant so much to Rio Mesa High."

Loren Ledin is the Prep Editor for The Star. He can be reached at loren.ledin@vcstar.com or 805-437-0285.