Where Are They Now?: Billy Armstrong Returns to BC

Billy Armstrong entered the halls of Bergen Catholic in 1990 and his basketball journey really began.

Armstrong became a 1,000 point scorer for the Crusaders and went on to play Division I basketball at Davidson College after he graduated high school in 1994. His success at Davidson earned him a career playing professional basketball in Europe for six years.

Bergen Catholic was and still is very important to Armstrong and has a lot to do with where he is right now.

“I had a great experience at BC," said Armstrong. "Besides getting a great education and being able to play basketball at a very high level I formed some relationships there with my teachers and classmates that will last a lifetime.  It’s hard to put into words but when you go to Bergen Catholic it's like the whole BC community becomes your extended family. My basketball coach Chris Donfield was like a second father to me and he taught me the importance about caring for your teammates on and off the court.”

After BC, things got very hectic, but fun for Armstrong as the game of basketball took him on a long and unforgettable journey.

“Since graduating from BC I went on a 10-year basketball odyssey that took me around the world," said Armstrong. "It started of course with four years at Davidson College in North Carolina.  From there I went to play in Belgium for three years, came back to the states and played in the USBL for coach Darryl Dawkins, followed by Yugoslavia for three years and I got to travel all over Europe. I was so fortunate to meet some great people from so many different countries. I got a chance to play basketball at a professional level and play with and get coached by some of the best European players and coaches.”

Armstrong, who lives in Westwood with his wife Lauren majored in Sociology at Davidson and currently runs a program called “Hoop Dreamz” with his wife, where he trains players, runs camps, and coaches AAU teams in the Bergen County area.

After amazing experiences in college and traveling the world, life has come full circle for Armstrong, as he will be the head coach for the Crusaders starting next season. He is very excited about the opportunity.

“I am extremely excited about coaching at BC," said Armstrong. "We have a lot of work to do but I have great kids and I know they will give me everything they have. Coaching at BC is very humbling for me because I played for two exceptional coaches Chris Donfield and Br. Jensen.  Not only were they great coaches they were also two super human beings.  Their players always came first and I owe it to them to help continue the great tradition of basketball at BC that they built. I also owe it to all the great players who played there to do the absolute best job I am capable of doing.”

Armstrong has a lot of experience and stories regarding the game of basketball to share with his student athletes.