On Friday night, Marian High School made official an announcement it made in May, that it is naming the football playing field at the Men of Marian Stadium the “Stan Dakosty Field,” honoring the man who led the Colts to a state championship in 1990, seven District 11 titles and four Eastern Conference banners.

The winningest coach in District 11 history with 310 wins over a 40-year career was joined by his wife, Mary, and daughter, Kathleen, in unveiling a bronze plaque at the entrance to the Men of Marian Stadium before family, friends and fans who attended the Colts’ last home game of the season with the Minersville Battlin’ Miners. His mother, Jackie Dick, was also in attendance.

Principal Jean Susko was in charge of the event, which put the stamp of approval made in May by the Marian administration and Men of Marian, when Dakosty was honored by the Marian community at a social held in the school’s gymnasium.

“A lot of great people made this happen,” said the coach, who announced his retirement last December. “This has been a tremendous ride and I’d like to thank the administration, all of my players, my family, fans and friends, and the Men of Marian, all who were tremendously supportive of our program for four decades.

“This hits me big-time,” Dakosty said, adding, “I hope people look at that (the plaque) and remember all the good that was done and accomplished here.”

Introduced by Bill O’Gurek, former longtime sports writer for the Times News who probably covered more of Dakosty’s games than anyone, Dakosty was joined by the current principal (Susko) and two former principals he worked for, Jack Malarkey and Sister Bernard Agnes I.H.M.

O’Gurek said, “Tonight’s dedication honors Stan’s 40-plus years of coaching, during which time he brought the Marian football program to statewide notoriety.”

He added, “Stan’s career has been a remarkable one that is likely to be unprecedented in the state in terms of the success he had on and off the field. He won many championships, and 310 games, but, if you ask him, he’d probably tell you the things he is most proud of are the number of young boys he helped receive scholarships and the fact that at one point in his teaching and coaching career, the Marian faculty selected him as ‘Teacher of the Year.’”

Dakosty was hired in 1977 to become head coach at the school after being an assistant on the staff of Chuck Rocconi, who departed Hometown for the same position in the Central Buck School District. He went on to compile a record of 310-152-4. Throughout his career, he was named Associated Press Coach of the Year in Pennsylvania, Coach of the Year by the Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association and numerous local honors. He has been inducted into the Halls of Fame in Carbon County, the PSFCA and Schuylkill County, and, at one point in his career, headed the state association and served as head coach of the Pennsylvania team in the Big 33 Classic.

Dakosty continues to serve as the school’s longtime athletic director and is a social studies teacher on the faculty.