Armstrong's teams went 174-99-1 in 23 seasons at La Quinta, from the schools first varsity season in 1995 to Armstrong's last season, in 2017.
More than 50 former La Quinta High School players showed up on Friday to honor Dan Armstrong, the winningest football coach in the history of the Coachella Valley.
The school officially named the stadium's field after Armstrong, who guided the Blackhawks to back-to-back CIF Southern Section titles, in 2000 and 2001. But as former player Pete Lafayette said, that field has belonged to Armstrong for years.
Lafayette and another former player, La Quinta's athletics director, Ryan Flores, spoke to the home crowd and introduced Armstrong, who eventually shared some thoughts on the recognition. Lafayette and Flores each spoke about how Armstrong built more than a winning football program at the school. They spoke about the culture and tradition that was built at the school, and the pride that comes from being a student athlete and graduate of La Quinta High School.
"He shaped the culture, the expectations and the standard for all Blackhawks athletics," Flores said.
Armstrong's teams went 174-99-1 in 23 seasons at La Quinta, from the schools first varsity season in 1995 to Armstrong's last season, in 2017. During that time, the Blackhawks won 10 league titles, appeared in three CIF championship games and the CIF semifinals nine times.
Armstrong has since retired in Ohio, where he grew up.
"It's a huge honor and it means a lot," Armstrong told The Desert Sun, a sign on the scoreboard now reading Dan Armstrong Field. "But I think what may even mean more to me is to see so many guys who I coached show up here tonight. I was privileged to coach some great football players, but I always told them while I was coaching that I want to see that they've become good men 20 years later.
"I look at these guys now and I'm proud to say that they are good men, good fathers, good people. I'm proud of who they've become and I wouldn't be honored here tonight without them and without so many others who played a role in our success."
Among the former players in attendance were former NFL wide receiver Jeff Webb, and three other standout players — Frederick Collins, Michael Craven and Joe Jiannoni.
La Quinta among finalists for $1 million prize
Another part of Friday's intermission was the presentation of $25,000 to the school from T-Mobile. The grant comes as La Quinta High School is among 25 national finalists in its Friday Night 5G Lights competition, which rallied more than 2,100 high schools from small towns across the country to compete fora $1 million stadium upgrade.
Along with the field upgrade, the grand prize winner will receive a renovated weight room from Gronk Fitness, a consultation with stadium experience experts, an all-expenses-paid trip to the SEC Championship Game for 16 school representatives and a tailgate party revealing the finalized upgrades in 2026.
La Quinta is one of just two schools in California who are among the top 25. The other is Exeter Union High School in the Central Valley.
Fans can head to FridayNight5GLights.com to vote for any of the top 25 schools until Oct. 24. Anyone with a valid email can vote once per day, every day of the voting period.
Weekly rankings will be posted on the website, so communities can watch their progress and rally support.
Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What Dan Armstrong had to say about being honored in La Quinta
Category: General Sports
