Name: Bret McGatlin.
School: Chatfield Chargers, Class 5A South Metro League.
Record: 2-0 overall, 2-0 league; 5-7 career.
Coaching résumé: Assistant at Columbine (2000-03) and Green Mountain (2004-05); head coach at Chatfield since 2006.
Life lines: Age 30. Born in Wheat Ridge. Graduated from Green Mountain in 1995, Adams State in 2000 with a degree in physical education; earned master’s in school administration in 2003. Teaches PE at Chatfield.
Back in his day: Wide receiver at Green Mountain from 1991-94 (second team all-Jefferson County as a senior) and at Adams State from 1995-99 (two-time academic all-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference).
Last week: Take your pick – either Andy Clements’ unusual touchdown (he turned an errant snap while in punt formation into a decisive, 44-yard scoring run) or the Chargers holding Pomona to two touchdowns was the biggest factor in a 16-14 upset victory over the fourth-ranked team in The Denver Post/9News 5A poll.
Or add the above to a growing list of reasons Chatfield can challenge other traditional Jefferson County rivals in the upper end of the 5A South Metro. “It was a game to find out how good we are,” McGatlin said.
After a 3-7 first year, the coach said he was challenged by his players, who told him they “wanted to be worked hard. We had a good offseason and just killed them during the day, and never did I hear them tell me to stop.”
Chatfield, which was 30-7 under coach Dave Logan from 2000-02 and won the program’s only state title (in 2001), was 12-28 from 2003 to 2006. While inquiring about the Chatfield position, McGatlin didn’t receive much encouragement from friends a year ago for what he was told was “a dead-end job” at a school primarily known for soccer and basketball.
McGatlin, whose father, Don McGatlin, was the first Broncos coach of the week while at Green Mountain 12 years ago, remains undeterred and with the same plan.
“We’re not that great and we expect more,” he said.
Note: The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week award, in its 12th year, will have 10 honorees during the regular season. NFL Charities will present a check for $1,000 to the school’s program. Tim Owens is the first winner in 2007. A coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ Dec. 30 game against the Minnesota Vikings at Invesco Field at Mile High and receive $2,000. Coaches are selected by a panel consisting of Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post; Billy Thompson, the Broncos; and Andy Lindahl, KOA 850 AM.
