Don Norford
Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Impact Statement
“We worked hard, we believed in the kids, and we loved the kids. We were blessed with some tremendous athletes.” -Don Norford
Biography
Don Norford, who has been the head track and field coach at Long Beach Poly since 1976, went into retirement as a champion. Norford finished his coaching career leading the Poly Lady Jackrabbits to the school’s 13th California state title overall, and sixth in the last seven years.
Norford, who also coached the boys, won five overall boys’ CIF championships, giving him 18 overall California state championships. Norford has also been an assistant coach of the powerful Long Beach Poly football team, where he coached 45 former and current NFL players. He was an assistant coach on ten of the Jackrabbits’ 19 CIF football titles.
Overall throughout his career, he coached a staggering 18 CIF State Championship teams (13 girls’ and 5 boys’). That is a feat no one else in California can make. He also coached 61 individual champions. Additionally, he coached 150 individual CIF-SS champs and 25 CIF-SS team titles.
In 2018 Norford was inducted into the inaugural class of the NSAF National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame.
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