Alfonso Garcia earned NAIA All-American honorable mention three times as a wide receiver at Fort Lewis College during his football career.
A four-year starter from 1986-89 for the Raiders, he became the first player in school history to win a national player of the week honor when he was named NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week in 1988.
Garcia won first team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and first team All-NAIA District VII honors as a sophomore, junior,and senior. He also received All-RMAC honorable mention as a freshman. He was also named to Durango High School's 100-Year Football Squad in the late 1980s.
Garcia was one of the most versatile players in Fort Lewis College history, lining up at receiver, running back, quarterback, punter, kicker and kick returner — often in the same game.
He ranks among Fort Lewis College career leaders in numerous categories, including receptions (169), receiving yards (1,823), receiving touchdowns (23), all-purpose yards (3,696), and scoring (180 points).
Garcia graduated from Fort Lewis College with a bachelor's degree in 1992, majoring in Spanish with a minor in English as a second language. He also received secondary education certification in Spanish/ESL.
After coaching the Raider receivers during the 1991 season, Garcia moved to Corona, N.M., where he taught Spanish/ESL and physical education at Corona Public School. He also coached high school football, junior high track & field and peewee basketball there. Mr. Garcia returned to Durango in 1995, teaching Spanish at Escalante and Miller middle schools while coaching football, basketball and track & field.
Garcia's daughter, Katerina Garcia, is a point guard on the Skyhawk women's basketball team and earned third team All-RMAC accolades in 2010-11.
He and his wife, Yvonne, reside in Durango.
