JT Keith
Everything about Artesia head cross-country coach and assistant track and girls’ basketball coach Nicholas Rivera conveys a sense of calm.
From his bald head to his neatly trimmed mustache and beard, Rivera moves with an ease that feels intentional. When he walks, it is more of a glide. He is never in a hurry, even when he is moving fast, and when he talks with an athlete, his voice carries the familiarity of a friend and the authority of someone who has been there.
That calm is earned
Rivera is a former national-class middle-distance runner. In 2013, he won the USA Junior Outdoor Championship in the 800 meters with a time of 1:49.55, earning a spot on Team USA for the Pan American Junior Championships. At Texas Tech, he became a Big 12 champion, sweeping indoor and outdoor 800-meter titles, with a career best time of 1:50.03 in the 800 and 3:46.63 in the 1500.
Running shaped how Rivera understands pressure, pace, and discipline. It taught him how far to push without losing control, lessons that now define how he approaches coaching.
At Artesia, Rivera serves as head cross-country coach while assisting in track and girls’ basketball, working under two intense head coaches, Adrian Olivas and Candace Pollard. His role requires balance and humility, an understanding of when to lead and when to support.
Assistant coach
As an assistant track coach, Rivera operates the camera system used to verify records and state qualifying marks. He works primarily with athletes from the 800 meters to the 2-mile, assists select 400-meter runners, provides input on the 800-meter medley relay, and helps with the high jumpers.
Rivera said his relationships with Pollard and Olivas allow him to set aside ego and focus on helping.
“We are all super comfortable with each other,” Rivera said. “I come to bring the knowledge and wisdom I have and help them run a good program. As an athlete, you learn how to flip the switch when it’s time to go.”
When Rivera runs his cross-country program, he emphasizes patience, care, and long-term growth. In basketball, his role shifts entirely to support Pollard’s vision and needs.
When basketball ends, he flips the switch again, fully invested in track.
Closets
Rivera is also famously superstitious. He keeps separate closets for each sport and refuses to mix gear across seasons. Yet when the day ends, he can shut everything down and go home to be a husband and father without carrying the weight of coaching.
“I love these kids,” Rivera said. “I want to help them be the best they can be. That doesn’t stop when the season ends.”
With seniors, reflection often follows the final meet. Rivera said he frequently questions whether he did enough and what more he could have given.
Artesia assistant track coach Nicholas Rivera
Relentless
“Be relentless,” Rivera said he hopes athletes take away after four years. “Let’s see what every ounce is, because life is going to beat them up. When you don’t have any more, that’s when you get better.”
Rivera teaches that growth often happens when athletes are tired and uncomfortable. Not everything will come quickly, he tells them, and learning to push through disappointment is part of the process.
Family First
Rivera is the first in his family to graduate from college. He reminds athletes that their results belong to them, not him.
“I know what running is,” Rivera said. “I know the feeling of being nauseated and woozy. I’ve pushed those boundaries.”
Working for two focused head coaches requires preparation and presence. Rivera said tension doesn’t help. He wants to arrive calm, ready, and with solutions.
“They’ve (Artesia Administration) given me the chance to do something I love,” Rivera said. “Unless they tell me to step away or step back, I’m going to keep loving it 100 percent.”
