Midvale City Journal - OCT 2017

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October 2017

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Vol. 3 Iss. 10

FREE

THE LASTING IMPACT OF CAZZIE BROWN By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

T

he Hillcrest High School football team had just finished practice when senior McKay Ashby recalled how his head coach, Cazzie Brown, took some of the big linemen out to his truck. Some of them didn’t have the money to go shopping for clothes so Brown had brought a large sack of clothes, shoes and whatever else they needed “and just gave it to them.” “(Brown) said, ‘Here you guys go, take all that you want and gave them this big smile and got in his truck and drove away,’” Ashby remembered. “That’s just the kind of guy he was, always serving all of us.” Ashby’s memory was one of hundreds, if not thousands, shared by those who felt the impact of Cazzie Brown in their lives. Brown, the Huskies football coach, died on Aug. 27 from what a family spokesperson said was the West Nile virus. The weeks that ensued after his death saw a community unite and honor the beloved coach and the legacy he left behind. The early years Born in El Paso, Texas, but raised in Houston, Brown was a three-time state champion wrestler in high school, said close friend Donnell McLean at Brown’s funeral. McLean and Brown were teammates at Idaho State where Brown received a Cazzie Brown (center) dances with some Hillcrest High students around the school’s 2016 homecoming. (Sara Diggins/Hillcrest High School) scholarship to play defensive line. Before earning such a scholarship though, he had a high school coach by the name of Benjamin Coach Brown Brown stopped what he was doing, asked Davis for his father’s Gordon who would drive Brown to school every day. Having a coach in high school leave such an enduring im- phone number and called him while standing in front of Davis. “(Cazzie) was what you would call a knucklehead growing pression, it makes sense Brown would continue that legacy. He told Davis’s dad that his son was late to practice again up,” McLean said. He added Brown knew if he were to get out of Brown helped coach girls basketball with Jeremy Chatter- and Davis isn’t bigger than the team. He concluded by saying that Houston, it would be through sports. ton at both Judge Memorial and Highland High School. He also if Davis doesn’t get his act together, he’d be turning in his pads. “He also realized that in sport, he found people, coaches, helped coach the Rams football team too before taking the head Davis was never late again. Olsen echoed Davis when he said teachers who saw something in him that he didn’t see in himself,” coaching position at Hillcrest. He also taught physical education Brown was a “game changer.” McLean said. at The McGillis School. “This was the impact Coach Brown had not only on his playHillcrest Principal, Gregory Leavitt, said Brown told him Chatterton recalled a moment at Highland where a girl was ers, but hundreds of students here at Hillcrest. Even if they were Gordon was one reason he became the man he did. elbowed in the eye during a game. She kept complaining about it only small interactions, this was his gift,” Olsen said. “(Gordon) made sure he attended school, made sure he did and when Brown pulled her out to ask what was wrong she said Hillcrest High his best in school, got him into college (and) made sure he got her eye was hurting. On Jan. 13, 2016, Brown was hired as head coach of the Hillthe opportunity to make something out of his life,” Leavitt said “How many eyes do you have?” was his response. “There are crest football team. at a candlelight vigil held in Brown’s honor. “Cazzie never saw people in this world who don’t get to see like you, so let’s use that “His presence alone, changed Hillcrest,” Olsen said. himself as a victim as a kid. He had a hard road, he had a hard life, one good eye you have and go play.” A candlelight vigil was held on Hillcrest’s football field the but he made the best of it.” Chatterton said Brown wouldn’t let you feel sorry for your- day after Brown’s death. Brody Roemmich, a junior football playFor McLean, whether it was their found friendship at Idaho self. “There was no pouting, no hanging your head, it was let’s er, said Brown would always text or call him after each game or State through finishing last in conditioning drills or Brown staring solve your problem and move forward. He was always there with practice. Roemmich played one of his voicemails of Brown sayat McLean in disbelief as he danced to a Sugar Ray song at a col- you to push you and lend you a hand.” ing, “Just checking to see how you’re doing.” lege party, Brown was an instrumental figure in his life. Hillcrest Athletic Director John Olsen recalled a memory “He always wanted to show love for anybody and every“I appreciate you for teaching me that friendship is essential from former Husky football and basketball player Karris Davis. body,” Roemmich said. “He never, never was selfish.” to the soul,” McLean said at the funeral. Davis had shown up late to practice for the second time. Chatterton said Brown changed his life and pushed him to be Continued on Page 9...

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