$4,000 has been raised in support of Santa Ana High School’s athletic program, in honor of the 37-year legacy of longtime Santa Ana HS teacher and coach, Manny Peñaflor.
Peñaflor, a standout football player and later a longtime coach at Santa Ana High, died July 7 of heart failure at the age of 84, according to the O.C. Register.
“For 37 years, he taught ESL, math, and driver’s education, and spent decades coaching football, soccer, wrestling, and track. Manny’s commitment to his students and athletes was unwavering, and his influence extended far beyond the classroom and the field. He was honored to be inducted into the Santa Ana High School Athletic Hall of Fame, a testament to the impact he made on generations of young people. Many of his former athletes remained close to him throughout his life, a reflection of the deep connections he built through mentorship and friendship,” reads the GoFundMe page.
Here are some of Peñaflor’s accomplishments, courtesy of the O.C. Register:
- Peñaflor was Santa Ana High’s athlete of the year as a senior in the 1958-59 school year.
- He was a two-way lineman for the football team and threw the discus and shot put for the school’s track and field team.
- Peñaflor went on to play football at Cal.
- He returned to Santa Ana High to be an assistant football coach to Tom Baldwin.
- Peñaflor coached lower-level football teams, track and field, wrestling and soccer for 37 years for the Saints.
- He also taught math and ESL (English as a Second Language) courses at Santa Ana and was a driver education teacher at the school.
Peñaflor was honored on Sunday, August 3, at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club.
Peñaflor’s family came to Santa Ana from Michoacan, in Mexico.
Peñaflor is survived by his children Louie, Micky, Cathy and Joe and grandchildren Julia, Jake, Hannah, Lance, Louis, Dylan and Sophia.