Dale Castro

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Dale Castro (born November 26, 1959) is a former American college and professional football player and coach. He played college football for the University of Maryland as a record-setting placekicker and All-American. Castro had a brief professional career in the Arena Football League, and then spent two decades coaching high school football.

Early life and college

Castro was born in 1959[1] and grew up in Shady Side, Maryland. He attended the University of Maryland with the intention of earning a scholarship as a baseball pitcher, but contracted mononucleosis during his first semester which caused him to miss the try-outs. After he recuperated, Castro decided to try out for the football team as a walk-on placekicker, a position he had played in high school. During his sophomore year, he was offered a scholarship. He joined another Maryland walk-on that season who gained national recognition, Charlie Wysocki, who was the nation's rushing leader in 1979.[2]

In 1979, Castro tied the NCAA record for most field goals in a half, with four against Mississippi State. In the fourth quarter of that game, he made a fifth field goal.[2] He set a then-NCAA record when he made his first 16 field goal attempts. In total, he made 17 field goals during the season.[3] Castro was named a consensus first-team All-American by the NCAA selectors: the Walter Camp Football Foundation, United Press International, Football Writers Association of America, and The Sporting News.[4] He concluded his collegiate career in 1980, and as the end of 2008 season, he remains the school's fourth-ranked player in career punting yards (8,584), seventh-ranked in field goal percentage (69.2%), and tenth-ranked in career field goals (27).[3]

Professional career

Drafted and then cut by the Dallas Cowboys after the 1981 pre-season, Castro had a tryout with the Seattle Seahawks in 1982.[5][6] In 1983, he played for the Washington Federals in the United States Football League. He recorded three field goals on six attempts and two extra points on three attempts.[7] He also played one season in the Arena Football League for the Washington Commandos in 1987.[8] That season, he made 12 field goals on 21 attempts and 16 extra points on 31 attempts.[1]

From 1981 to 1986, he served as an assistant coach at Southern High School in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.[9] From 1987 to 1989, he was the offensive coordinator for DuVal High School in Prince George's County, Maryland.[10] In 1990, Castro was hired as an assistant coach at High Point High School.[11] He served as High Point's head football coach for the next 12 years,[9] and also as its baseball coach.[12] He resigned in 2001 in order to take some time off from coaching, but remained at his position in the school's guidance department.[9]

In 2003, Castro left High Point to become the head football coach at Annapolis High School.[13] He resigned after one season when he could not secure a full-time position as a guidance counselor at the school. Castro said, "I think the Annapolis High football program needs a coach who works in the building. The kids deserve a full-time coach."[14] In 2009, he was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame.[3] In 1997, he was inducted into the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame.[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dale Castro, ArenaFan Online, retrieved July 27, 2009.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kicking And Clawing In Maryland, Sports Illustrated, October 1, 1979.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Maryland Athletics Announces 2009 Hall of Fame Class, University of Maryland, May 29, 2009.
  4. ↑ "All-Time Honors", 2007 Maryland Football Media Guide, p. 160, University of Maryland, 2007.
  5. ↑ O'Malley, Pat (September 26, 1997). "5 to enter Arundel's Hall of Fame; Ceremony on Oct. 23 to honor Castro, Fowler, Hart, Shelton and Steele". The Baltimore Sun. p. 7D. Retrieved March 29, 2010. 
  6. ↑ "Seahawks sign five free agents". Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, Washington: The McClatchy Company). Associated Press. March 16, 1982. p. 14. Retrieved March 29, 2010. 
  7. ↑ 1983 Statistics, United States Football League, retrieved July 27, 2009.
  8. ↑ Commandos' Castro a Kicker Of Many Feats; Shows Versatility in Practice, The Washington Post, July 15, 1987.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 High Point's Castro Steps Down, The Washington Post, November 16, 2001.
  10. ↑ High Point Up Against Recent History, No. 1;Faces Quince Orchard for Md. 4A Title, The Washington Post, November 29, 1991.
  11. ↑ They're Taking Over Under the Gun; Knode, Adams, Castro Following in Footsteps Of Coaching Legends, The Washington Post, August 28, 1990.
  12. ↑ The Eagles Are Well-Fed, But Stay Hungry for a Title; High Point Earns Feast With Win Over Bowie, The Washington Post, May 23, 2005.
  13. ↑ Football: Castro begins tenure as Annapolis coach, The Capital, June 17, 2009.
  14. ↑ One, done for Castro with Annapolis football, Maryland Gazette, January 3, 2004.
  15. ↑ 1997, Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame, retrieved June 17, 2009.
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