after the game at the stadium to tell me they'd won their first game. He began his formal coaching career as an assistant football coach at Bucknell from 1953 to 1954. He later served as an assistant coach at Williams College (1955–57) and Cornell University (1958). Amherst College Coaching and awards In March 1959, Ostendarp was hired as the head football coach at Amherst College. He held that position for 33 years from 1959 to 1991. He led the Amherst Lord Jeffs to undefeated, untied seasons in 1964 and 1984. He also led his teams to 13 Little Three (Amherst, Williams and Wesleyan) championships and nine one-loss seasons. In his 33 years as head coach, Ostendarp compiled an overall record of 168–91–5 and a .646 winning percentage. Four of Ostendarp's Amherst players went on to play in the NFL: Sean Clancy '78, Doug Swift '70, Jean Fugett '72 and Freddie Scott '74. Ostendarp received the Kodak AFCA New England Coach of the Year award in 1961 and 1964; the UPI Small College Coach of the Year award in 1964; the New England Football Writers' Division II and III Coach of the Year award in 1984; and the Gridiron Club of Boston's New England Division II and III Coach of the Year award in 1984. Ostendarp was also one of the first football coaches to use computerized statistics to develop his game strategy for opposing teams. In the early 1960s, some of Ostendarp's players used a computer at the University of Massachusetts to compile opponents' statistics to help their coach plan for upcoming games. Ostendarp announced his resignation as Amherst's head coach in March 1992 at age 68. Influence on players Ostendarp also served on Amherst's faculty as a professor of physical education. He became known for the influence he had on players beyond the football field. Asked by a reporter whether he was interested in coaching at a bigger school, Ostendarp replied, "Where would you go after Amherst?" His players referred to him affectionately as "the Darp" and considered him "one part football coach and one part professor." According to a tribute published by Amherst College following Ostendarp's death, his attire at football games was legendary: "It was easy to spot him on the sidelines. Regardless of the weather, Jim always wore his dark three-piece suit and Fedora." One of Ostendarp's former players noted, "He was a professor who happened