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Walt Criner

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Walt Criner
Biographical details
Bornc. 1937
Died(2021-06-15)June 15, 2021 (aged 84)
Gardnerville, Nevada, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1958Pepperdine
Baseball
1957–1959Pepperdine
Position(s)Quarterback (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1970–1973Coachella Valley HS (CA)
1974–1979Desert (assistant)
1980–1982Cal Poly Pomona (OL)
1983–1986Snow
1987–1988Idaho State (AHC/OL)
1989Indio HS (CA)
1990–1991Coachella Valley HS (CA)
1992–1995Arizona Western
Baseball
1960–1971Coachella Valley HS (CA)
1978–1980Coachella Valley HS (CA)
2000–2002Coachella Valley HS (CA)
Head coaching record
Overall37–43 (junior college football)
Bowls1–0 (junior college)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 NJCAA National (1985)
1 ICAC (1983)
1 WSFL (1985)

Walt Criner (c. 1937 – June 15, 2023) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as head football coach at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah from 1983 to 1986 and Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona from 1992 to 1995, compiling a career junior college football head coaching record of 37–43. He led Snow to a NJCAA National Football Championship in 1985.

Criner graduated from Coachella Valley High School in Thermal, California. His brother, Jim, also became a football coach. After playing college football and college baseball at Pepperdine University, Criner returned to Coachella Valley High School, where he coached football and baseball and taught for 21 years.[1] In 1974, he joined the football coach staff at the College of the Desert (COD) in Palm Desert, California as offensive backfield coach under head coach Bill Reeske.[2] Criner continued to coach baseball at Coachella Valley while working as a football assistant at COD. He also coached basketball at Coachella Valley early in his tenure as the school. In 1980, he left Coachella Valley to become an assistant football coach at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona under head football coach Roman Gabriel.[3][4]

Criner succeeded Bill Kelly as head football coach at Snow in 1983.[5] After leading his teams to a record of 26–16 in four seasons, he resigned from his post at Snow in early 1987 to become the assistant head football coach and offensive line coach at Idaho State University.[6] Criner spent two years at Idaho State and then was the head football coach at Indio High School, in Indio, California, in 1989, leading the Rajahs to a record of 6–5. He returned again to Coachella Valley High School as head football coach in 1990.[7]

Criner died on June 15, 2023, at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada.[8]

Head coaching record

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Junior college football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Snow Badgers (Intermountain Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1983–1984)
1983 Snow 5–6 4–2 T–1st
1984 Snow 4–6 3–3 T–2nd
Snow Badgers (Western States Football League) (1985–1986)
1985 Snow 11–0 9–0 1st W Mid-America Bowl
1986 Snow 6–4 6–3 4th
Snow: 26–16 22–8
Arizona Western Matadors (Western States Football League) (1992–1995)
1992 Arizona Western 2–7 2–6 T–6th
1993 Arizona Western 3–6 3–6 7th
1994 Arizona Western 3–7 3–5 7th
1995 Arizona Western 3–7 3–6 7th
Arizona Western: 11–27 11–23
Total: 37–43
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ John, Andrew L. (November 14, 2016). "Former Coachella Valley High coach honored". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  2. ^ "Indio football coach leaves to take Coachella Valley job". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. May 14, 1974. p. B2. Retrieved June 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ^ Turner, Keith (May 6, 1980). "A legend prepares to leave CVHS". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. p. B1. Retrieved June 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ Turner, Keith (May 6, 1980). "Discipline is Criner's forte (continued)". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. p. B1. Retrieved June 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  5. ^ "Snow Selects New Coach". Gunnison Valley News. Gunnison, Utah. January 20, 1983. p. 12. Retrieved June 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ^ "Coach transfers". The Gunnison Valley News. Gunnison, Utah. January 6, 1987. p. 5. Retrieved June 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  7. ^ DiMeglio, Steve (March 16, 1990). "Indio football coach leaves to take Coachella Valley job". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. p. E1. Retrieved June 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ^ Bohannan, Larry (November 12, 2021). "Celebration of life set Saturday for former Coachella Valley High School coach Walt Criner". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. Retrieved June 20, 2024.