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] and was named Second Team All-Arena.[9]

From 1981 to 1986, he served as an assistant coach at Southern High School in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.[10] From 1987 to 1989, he was the offensive coordinator for DuVal High School in Prince George's County, Maryland.[11] In 1990, Castro was hired as an assistant coach at High Point High School.[12] He served as High Point's head football coach for the next 12 years,[10] and also as its baseball coach.[13] He resigned in 2001 in order to take some time off from coaching, but remained at his position in the school's guidance department.[10]

In 2003, Castro left High Point to become the head football coach at Annapolis High School.[14] 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."[15] 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.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b "Dale Castro". ArenaFan Online. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Kicking And Clawing In Maryland". Sports Illustrated. October 1, 1979. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Maryland Athletics Announces 2009 Hall of Fame Class". University of Maryland. May 29, 2009. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  4. ^ "All-Time Honors". 2007 Maryland Football Media Guide. University of Maryland. 2007. p. 160.
  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 USFL Statistics - USFL (United States Football League)". Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  8. ^ Pascoe, Bruce (July 15, 1987). "Commandos' Castro a Kicker Of Many Feats; Shows Versatility in Practice". The Washington Post.
  9. ^ "Dale Castro". arenafan.com. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  10. ^ a b c Gallo, Jon (November 16, 2001). "High Point's Castro Steps Down". The Washington Post.
  11. ^ Karabell, Eric (November 29, 1991). "High Point Up Against Recent History, No. 1; Faces Quince Orchard for Md. 4A Title". The Washington Post.
  12. ^ Huff, Donald (August 28, 1990). "They're Taking Over Under the Gun; Knode, Adams, Castro Following in Footsteps Of Coaching Legends". The Washington Post.
  13. ^ Gallo, Jon (May 23, 2005). "The Eagles Are Well-Fed, But Stay Hungry for a Title; High Point Earns Feast With Win Over Bowie". The Washington Post.
  14. ^ Wagner, Bill (August 16, 2003). "Football: Castro begins tenure as Annapolis coach". The Capital. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  15. ^ "One, done for Castro with Annapolis football". Maryland Gazette. January 3, 2004.[dead link]
  16. ^ "Inductees". Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 12, 2019. Class of 1997, Dale Castro (football)
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