There’s no shortage of heartfelt tributes, memorials, and warm feelings being shared in running circles since Coach Joe I. Vigil passed away on Saturday evening, July 19, 2025, at his retirement home in Green Valley, Arizona. Active as a speaker and mentor into his 90s, he was 95 years old.
We at Soulstice Publishing came to know Coach late in his life, and while so many knew him longer and better, his graciousness to Soulstice publishers Myles Schrag and Julie Hammonds made us feel like we’d been friends for decades. In other words, we received the blessing of his presence in equal measure to pretty much anybody Coach ever came into contact with throughout his long and influential life.
In 2019, we began speaking with Pat Melgares about publishing a biography of his legendary distance-running mentor. Like Coach, Pat was a proud native of Alamosa, Colorado. He was one of many stars at Adams State during Coach’s long tenure. With encouragement from his fellow “Vigilante” alumni, Pat took on the challenge of capturing one of the most distinctive characters in the distance-running world. The result was the aptly named Chasing Excellence: The Remarkable Life and Inspiring Vigilosophy of Coach Joe I. Vigil.
Pat’s writing earned a gold medal in the Biography category of the Independent Book Publishers Association’s annual awards, as well as a gold in the International Latino Book Awards in the Sports category. We felt they were especially well deserved because Pat had captured Coach’s energy, authenticity, and curiosity. Coach was as committed to connecting with people as to his craft—a winning and admirably human combination. We were proud to publish a book that will give future generations an informative and entertaining account of the many things that made Coach Vigil a special human being.
Soulstice Publishing sends condolences to Coach Vigil’s family, friends, and every member of Vigilante Nation.
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