Rio Rancho’s new varsity boys basketball coach won’t need any directions to find the place.

Wally Salata grew up in Rio Rancho.

Named Thursday to succeed Brian Smith, who resigned his post with the Rams to become the first coach at Cleveland High, Salata has spent the past four seasons as the head coach at Rio Grande High School.

Wally Salata can keep the "Rio," but will need to change what follows it, after being named the fifth boys basketball coach in school history.

The Ravens were 16-12 last season, which ended with a 76-62 first-round loss at Las Cruces. The Ravens advanced to state out of District 5-5A as the 10 seed; in 2007then the 11 seed, they upset sixth-seeded Las Cruces in the first round, then lost to third-seeded Manzano – which went on to lose to Rio Rancho in the 5A title tilt.

“I’m very excited to have this opportunity,” Salata said, remembering his family’s move here from Staten Island in 1972. “There was nothing there at that time. … I got to live out there for about 10 years.

“It’s come full circle. I got to start my home life in Rio Rancho and now I have an opportunity to end it. I’m hoping this will be my last stop.”

Salata, still active on the court – he scored 42 points in a men’s league game right after Rio Rancho Public Schools athletic director Bruce Carver told him he had the job – said he always has contracts, which spell out responsibilities, for his players.

“The rules are fair and they’re firm,” Salata said. “The biggest thing is I tell them they’re student-athletes. I want to see the kids walk down the aisle in May.”

Salata said he was proud to have taken his Ravens to the state tournament in three of his four seasons in the South Valley, which followed coaching stops in Los Lunas and at his alma mater, St. Pius X.

“To be there three out of four years says a lot, not about me, but the kids, that they bought into what my expectations were. It was a dream come true for all those kids.”

Salata said he would start working with next season’s players soon, and select his staff. He wouldn’t make any promises about bringing home another blue trophy for the Rams.

“It’s going to take time – I’m not guaranteeing anything,” he said.

Carver, like Salata very passionate about basketball, said he was pleased with the selection committee’s decision to pick Salata over a field that included two of Smith’s assistants, Sean Jimenez and former Rams standout Nick Gerard.

“We feel good about it, we really do,” he said. “Wally stood out and we feel he’s a really good fit for Rio Rancho High School. He’s got 10 years of head coaching experience in the trenches of 4A and 5A basketball. He’s been in places where it’s difficult to win but he’s got a lot out of them, which is the ultimate compliment I could give any coach.

“He’s got a lot of passion for the game, meticulously organized,” Carver continued. “Some of the better coaches in the metro area spoke for Wally. He’s always prepared; he has a great professional reputation. Wally was raised in Rio Rancho; it’s his dream to coach here as a head coach.”

Carver isn’t expecting immediate success, either, especially in light of the opening of Cleveland High and two top-notch players who played as Rams this past season, wing Blake Swihart and post P.J. Horgan.

“I expect someone who puts a very competitive basketball team on the floor,” Carver explained. “Our expectations are high – we want to be in the running for the trophy, but that’s not realistic every year. (Wally is) someone who molds kids, develops not only their playing ability but their character – and truly cares about the kids, rather than just happens on the basketball floor in terms of wins and losses. That’s saying a lot, but that’s what we expect -- it’s more than X’s and O’s, it’s about developing people.”