Norwalk High debuts new stadium, new football coach

Ruben Guerrero steps in for his his first year as head coach of the Norwalk High School varsity football team as they practice at their new stadium. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

NORWALK – Ruben Guerrero has come full circle for the Norwalk High School football program - from student-athlete, to assistant coach, to its new head coach.

And speaking of new, Norwalk will debut it new stadium and sports complex for tonight’s season-opening game against San Marino – an actual “home” game.

“We don’t have to travel for our ‘home’ game anymore,” Guerrero said. “It’s an actual home game.”

Perhaps Guerrero was dreaming of this night a long time ago when he was first playing on the field as a young player for the Lancers.

Guerrero, who stands 5-8, attended and played at Norwalk from 1989 through graduation in 1993. As a Lancer, he played football and baseball. His specialty was right guard on the offensive line and nose tackle.

Upon graduation, he went through the summer football program at Cerritos College.

“I actually had a good time playing in high school,” Guerrero said. “I was one of those little scrappers. It was my coaches (at Norwalk) that made me play bigger than I was.

“When I was in the Cerritos program, there were some big athletes.”

Norwalk Athletic Director David Snyder said of Guerrero: “It is nice to have an alumnus coaching the very program he played in before our stadium was built. Now he gets to be the first coach in the new stadium.”

Head coach Ruben Guerrero works with the defense as they practice at their new stadium at Norwalk High School. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

Guerrero coaching since 1994

Guerrero has been coaching high school football since 1994. It has been on and off since then.

However, since 2005 he has been consistently coaching, with a three-year break.

“I had coaching stints at John Glenn, St John Bosco and Norwalk High,” Guerrero. “I was fortunate to assist the last three head coaches at NHS.

“I was able to work with Jesse Ceniceros, Otis Harrison and Dean Gray. I’ve taken a little bit of each one of them and tried to instill that here, of all of the values that they have tried to teach the kids, all of the football that they tried to teach the kids, their leadership skills and the way that they’ve conducted themselves as men in a position of this. I’ve taken notes from all three of them and I’m trying to do justice through those three gentlemen as well.”

Guerrero has been teaching in the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District for the last 18 years.

He subbed for the first two years, and then spent the next six years at John Glenn teaching Special Education and also coaching baseball.

For the last 10 years he has also been teaching Special Ed at Norwalk High.

“The changes over the years have been quite a sight to see,” Guerrero added. “I was witness to the grassroots movement that began the new facilities renovations.

“I want to first express gratitude for those that supported Norwalk’s attainment of facilities renovations. I am very excited for the opportunity to lead the program in the era of the school’s first stadium in its history. It’s surreal and amazing.”

Head coach, Ruben Guerrero, works with the defense as they practice at their new stadium at Norwalk High School. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

Guerrero succeeds coach Gray

Guerrero succeeds Gray, who retired from coaching after the last season in the spring.

“Coach Guerrero is an incredible teacher and coach,” said Gray, who was in his second stint as coach at Norwalk. “He will do a great job leading our players on the field and in the classroom.”

Guerrero was an assistant for Gray for the last two years and has helped every head coach at Norwalk since he has been there.

“Coach Gray made some recommendations and I applied for the job (head coach) and got it,” said Guerrero, of his hiring in July.

Guerrero, whose son Gabriel, a junior, is on the team as a linebacker, becomes a second generation player for the family.

Guerrero remembers the player’s reaction when they first practiced on the new field recently. “They were grinning ear-to-ear,” he said. “It was a moment of elation. The kids of Norwalk were proud and happy.”

The team had been practicing down the street this summer at Corvallis Middle School.

“It’s great to see that Norwalk has finally achieved something like this,” he added.

Asked what he was looking forward to seeing for the first game, Guerrero said, “I’m looking forward to the crowd, the alumni, the student body coming out and a wide range of spectators in the stands. There’s been a big buzz around campus.

“It’s been a long journey and nothing happens in an instant. Friday Night Lights at Norwalk, It’ll be awesome.”

Norwalk High, which was founded in 1956, began the sports complex project in 2019 and was funded by a $375 million Education Bond G Measure passed by Norwalk residents in a 2014 vote.

The stadium was actually used for the first function for the 2021 graduation. “I was there for the graduation and to see the enormity of it was awesome,” Guerrero said.

Norwalk High principal Dr. David Olea said of Guerrero and his new position: “To see Ruben, as an alumni and become our coach, is great. It’s huge and he has come full circle.

“As for the stadium, our community has been waiting for this. It’s time for Norwalk to take a seat at the table. It’s exciting and the one thing that separates Norwalk is the love that our city has. We have alumni come back to the school. This is a special night and his son (Gabriel Guerrero) is on the team.”

Quarterback Caden Barnhill throws a pass during practice as they practice at their new stadium at Norwalk High School. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

Players to watch

Players to keep an eye out on are: Caden Barnhill, Jr. QB/DB; David Herrera. Jr. RB/DB; Jonathan Goodloe, Sr. RB/DB; Damon Ramirez, Sr. OL/DL; Diego Hernandez, Sr. OL; Christian Lopez, Jr. TE/DE and Daniel Castillo, Jr. FB/LB.

“These are all returning players from last spring,” said Guerrero, of the players to watch for this season. “We’ll look to them for their leadership and they will play huge roles for us this season.”

Damon (Ramirez) will anchor the “O” Line. “He is a real tough kid,” Guerrero said. “When he does well, the kids will feed off of him. Diego (Hernandez) will be the starting center and Christian (Lopez) started as a sophomore.”

The team actually played a scrimmage game on the new field. “We moved the ball well and scored a couple of times,” Guerrero added. “The defense held their ground as well and we feel good about where we’re at so far.”

What they said:

Caden Barnhill, Junior, Quarterback/Free Safety: “It feels amazing and feels great to play for this community and show what we can do this season. It felt great to be on turf again and it’s our field.

“(Ruben) is a great coach and I’m looking forward to throwing the ball and he said he’s going to open it up this year.”

Jonathan Goodloe, Senior, Running back/Strong Safety: “I feel really good this year and it’s my last time on the field and I’m trying to make an impact as a senior on the field. As a senior I want to leave a mark for the juniors. I’m looking forward to come out with a ‘W’.”

David Herrera, Junior, Running Back/Cornerback: “It’s super important to be on this new field. It’s about time that we got our ‘home’, we can say. Since forever, we’ve been playing at Excelsior. My family that used to be on this team played at Excelsior. Now I can say I’m a Lancer and we have our own home stadium. It’s a pretty amazing feeling.

“I had a lot of family that used to play on this team and now it’s my turn. I feel like I have the city on my back.

“It feels great with coach Guerrero and he really pushes us hard and you can tell he really cares about us. It feels like he is a part of this school, since he played here. He’s also a Lancer.”