Thad Lear
School: Frederick Warriors, Class 3A, Tri-Valley League, 6-4 overall (5-0 league), 46-80 career.
Coaching resume: Assistant at Eaton from 1991-92 and Fort Morgan, 1993-95; head coach at Middle Park from 1996-97; head coach at Frederick since 1998.
Lifelines: Age 40. Born in Fort Collins. Graduated from Windsor High School in 1988. Attended Bethany College for a year, graduated from Northern Colorado in 1993, earned degree in social studies. Earned a master’s degree in education leadership at UNC, 2005. Teaches U.S. history and weight training at Frederick.
Back in his day: Quarterback/safety at Windsor from 1984-87, all-state safety as a senior; played quarterback at Bethany.
Last week: One of Colorado’s oldest schools has returned to the playoffs.
Smaller Frederick, which was established in 1907, then closed its doors for 17 years starting in 1962, has won its first outright league title and will host its first playoff game since reopening in 1979.
“This team has been phenomenal,” Lear said.
On Friday, trailing Windsor 7-3 in the fourth quarter, K.C. Rivera gave the Warriors the lead for good on a 1-yard touchdown run, then sealed it by returning an interception for a touchdown with less than two minutes to play.
Frederick earned its first trip to the playoffs since 2006.
“These are good kids who have never quit,” Lear said.
One is quarterback Matt Lamb, “who has been a super leader,” Lear said, as well as running back/linebacker Jahde Lesnar, nephew of Brock Lesnar, the Ultimate Fighter.
The eighth-seeded Warriors will take on Roosevelt’s Roughriders, which won the regular-season meeting 28-14 in Week 5, in the 3A preliminaries on Saturday at what should be an excited Alex Tesone Field.
“These kids are committed to one another,” Lear said.
Compiled by Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
About the award
The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week award, in its 15th year, will have 10 honorees in the regular season. Primero’s Shelby Langford, Regis Jesuit’s Mark Nolan, Wray’s Levi Kramer, Burlington’s Glynn Higgs, Skyview’s Bill Nelson, Bethune’s Troy Hauxwell, John F. Kennedy’s Rich Martinez, Ralston Valley’s Matt Loyd, Roosevelt’s Ed Eastin and Lear are the 2010 winners. The NFL Youth Football Fund will present a check for $1,000 to the school’s program. The coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ game against the San Diego Chargers on Jan. 2 at Invesco Field at Mile High and will receive $2,000. Coaches are selected from a panel consisting of Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post; Billy Thompson, the Broncos; and Andy Lindahl, 850 AM.
