After Clovis North’s season to remember on the track, director Richard Brazil was named 2019 CA Boys Track and Field Coach of the Year.
The second state award for a TRAC school after Buchanan’s Brian Weaver was named the girls coach of the year after the Buchanan girls won their state title as well.
Brazil took home his award after a fantastic season by the Clovis North Broncos. The team won its first-ever state title, registering 41 points in 16 events.
“Winning this award is such a great honor, more importantly this award is for our entire staff,” Brazil said. “As a group we work tirelessly to make sure we are giving everyone on our team an opportunity to find success.”
Leading that charge was Caleb Foster, who scored 36 points after two first-place finishes, a second place win and a run in the second-place 400-relay team.
Despite the success for Brazil in 2019, winning the award was never a personal goal, although he was honored to be recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
“For me personally, watching our athletes grow over the course of their career here at North is something that I really enjoy and when a group of individuals with the same goal and work ethic come together and do some amazing things is what truly brings me joy,” Brazil said. “I love watching our kids compete week in and week out.”
Those Broncos (boys track and field) have taken a giant step since the beginning of the 2018 season when the team captured their first TRAC Title and their first CIF Valley Championships.
And although they placed fifth at the CIF State Meet that year, Brazil and his boys were just getting started.
In 2019, the boys won their first-ever CIF State Championship.
“I was really proud of how the boys competed, they were very focused and knew that they could reach the ultimate team goal in winning a State Title,” Brazil said.
Their performance throughout the year not only established the team as one of the best in the state of California, but it also helped inspire the youth that will eventually make its way through the stables at Clovis North.
And that only sets up the Broncos for continued dominance. The Broncos aren’t the new kids on the block anymore, they are here to establish a powerhouse.
“The goal is to continue to build our program to be one of the strongest in the Valley & State,” Brazil said. “Each year brings new excitement and challenges.”