Damian Durinzi played out of position as a junior in 2025 and therefore never really showed what he can do on a football field. The talent was there, but he wasn't put in the position to succeed on a 1-9 team at Indio High School.
Everything changed over the offseason. The Rajahs hired longtime Xavier Prep head coach James Dockery and Dockery, a former NFL player, brought much of his coaching staff with him to Indio.
Suddenly, Indio had a robust coaching staff and players began joining the program to be a part of what the staff was building at a school that has been renovated in recent years.
That allowed Durinzi, one of the fastest and most athletic players in the Coachella Valley, to move to positions that are better suited for his skill set.
For that reason, Durinzi is the No. 9 player on The Desert Sun's Elite 11 countdown, highlighting the top players in the valley ahead of the 2026 season.
Listed at 5-foot-8 and 140 pounds, Durinzi took first place in the 400 meters (49.63) and the 110 hurdles (15.42) in the Desert Valley League track finals in April. He'll now play slot receiver, defensive back and kick returner this season, and that should better utilize his speed in space more effectively.
Andrew John covers sports at The Desert Sun. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. Find him on Instagram at @desertwriter.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: The No. 9 player in our Elite 11 is a big-play speedster for Indio
