SAN ANTONIO — Victor Castillo, legendary state champion and former Brackenridge High School quarterback, has passed away. He was 79.
In his only season playing on varsity at Brackenridge High School, Castillo helped lead the Eagles to the Class 4A state championship in 1962. He became the first high school player in the state to pass for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.
In 2017, he was inducted into the San Antonio ISD Athletic Hall of Fame and was as humble as could be when asked about what the honor meant to him.
“I’m not about awards, but it’s flattering and it’s an honor,” Castillo said of his induction. “But it’s not just about me. We’re also celebrating the fact that we achieved the ultimate goal for a high school team, winning a state championship."
He went on to be recruited by a plethora of colleges before committing to Kansas State, where he led the team in passing and broke a then-passing record. In 2015, Castillo told KENS 5 he didn't even know if playing college ball was in the cards for someone of his stature.
"Playing college football was the furthest thing in my mind when I got to Brackenridge," Castillo said. "I was a scrawny little guy who played on the 'B' team for two years before I made it to the varsity as a senior. I wanted to go to college, but I didn't know if I would be able to do it financially."
Castillo went on to be a high school football coach and administrator in San Antonio until he retired in 2012.
He was the fifth of six children and youngest of four sons.
