The Arizona high school football community is mourning the death of longtime coach and athletic director Louie Ramirez.
Ramirez, 31, the athletic director at Vista Grande High School in Casa Grande, died Thursday.
Jeff Lavender, Casa Grande Union High School District superintendent, responded to an email from The Arizona Republic with a statement: “Mr. Ramirez was deeply passionate about his work, always striving to do what was best for our students and the athletes he coached.
“His dedication and spirit will be profoundly missed,” Lavender added. “We understand that this news may be difficult for many of you. If you are struggling, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support you in any way we can during this challenging time.
“Please keep Louie’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
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A cause of death was not made available.
Ramirez previously was the head football coach at Marana High School and an assistant at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale.
Ramirez, who had two young children, was helping Vista Grande football coach Jon Roberts after Ramirez became AD there last year. Vista Grande’s football program was shaken by the death in early May of freshman football coach and security guard Robert Palacios.
“The sad thing about it, four months ago, we went through the same thing, we lost our head freshman coach, one of our assistant coaches on varsity,” Roberts said. “For this to hit, it’s shocking. The players are saying, ‘Why us? Why does it keep happening to us?’
“We have to make sure we stay strong for them. We have to let them know that sometimes in life, things like this happen. Any time is the right time for them to grieve. It’s going to come in waves. Sometime you’re going to feel good. And sometimes you’re going to feel bad.”
Ramirez became head football in 2018 when he took over the Marana program that featured quarterback Trenton Bourguet and offensive lineman Jordan Morgan. Bourguet is now playing at Arizona State. Morgan, who starred for the nearby Arizona Wildcats, was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft this spring by the Green Bay Packers. That 2018 Marana team went 8-3, reaching the 5A state playoffs.
Ramirez was an assistant under Jason Mohns at Scottsdale Saguaro in 2021 when the Sabercats won their first Open state football championship. He then took the administrative route, returning to his roots in Casa Grande, where he was helping out Roberts with the Vista Grande football program.
Hamilton AD Brett Palmer said that Ramirez leaned on him and other Chandler Unified School District athletic directors, as he transitioned into an administrative role.
“Louie was a great dude,” Palmer said. “He was always positive and open and willing to learn. He loved his two kids more than anything, and they had a great relationship. He will be missed.”
Before starting out as a head coach at Marana, Ramirez served as a graduate assistant football coach at Northern Arizona. After graduating from Casa Grande High, Ramirez started out helping head coach Roy Lopez at Tempe Marcos de Niza, while Ramirez was attending college at Arizona State.
Lopez, now the head coach at Mesa Desert Ridge, said he spent Thursday night with Ramirez’s family.
“He did a lot for a lot of great young athletes,” Lopez said. “He had a great personality. He loved helping kids. I can’t tell you about the overwhelming calls I’m getting from college coaches. There’s just so many people he impacted.”
