Sports News

By ANNA AUSTIN
Central Valley’s well-maintained football field is no longer without a name. At the school’s last regular season home game October 5, the field was officially named after the Valiants coach of over 30 years, Randy Vigen.
“It’s a big surprise and honor,” said Vigen. “Something I will always cherish.”
Vigen, a native of Hatton, N.D., coached alongside former assistant coach Dave Kleveland for the duration of his career. He now has four other assistant coaches —Nathan Walsh, who is on his seventh year coaching, Skylar Dutton, Frank Justin and Aaron Sundeen.
“He is a top notch coach and an even better friend,” said Walsh.
Walsh is finishing his second year as head assistant coach.
“There is no doubt in my mind that dedicating the field in his name is the right thing to do. He has made this field into one of the best — if not the best — grass football field in the state of North Dakota.”
Walsh added, “Coach Vigen spends a lot of his free time out on the field cutting it, fertilizing and making sure it looks as nice as possible. It takes him almost an entire day to get the field painted and the football players even come out during their study hall time to help him.”
“Every time we play, the opposing team is commenting on the quality of the field and it all goes back to Randy. He takes pride in what the field looks like and I have never seen anything like it.”
During his career, Vigen has been named State Coach of the Year and Region Coach of the Year. He led the Valiants to win a state title in 1999 and has guided his players to the playoffs 13 times. Vigen’s coaching record at Central Valley currently stands at 188-122.
Despite the great length of his career, Vigen certainly isn’t burnt out on coaching the sport he lives — and doesn’t expect to be any time soon.
“Coaching football is something I still really love,” he said. “I still enjoy it, even after 33 years.”