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Changes at the top

By DANIEL BERK and TODD GLASENAPP
Sun Sports Staff
Friday, April 17, 2009

When the girls basketball season begins next year, the Grand Canyon Region will have quite a different feel to it as Coconino and Sinagua recently announced that its girls basketball coaches won't be back next season.

At Sinagua, the school decided not to renew coach Dave Brown's contract after two seasons on the job. As the head coach, Brown went 21-33 and qualified for the Class 4A, Division II state tournament both years. The Mustangs were eliminated in the first round of the tournament both times.

"The reason we decided not to renew coach Brown's contract was because, as a staff, we felt that we needed to move in a different direction and see more growth out of the girls," Sinagua Athletics Director Daniel Langford said. "It's obviously nothing personal with Dave, we just wanted to go a different route."

Brown took over the head coaching spot before the 2007-08 season after former coach Jennifer Parker resigned. SHS will return six players next season that saw significant minutes this season and Brown was looking forward to coaching that squad.

"It's not my choice," Brown said. "They didn't renew my contract because they wanted to go in a different direction and that's up to them. I'm disappointed because I was really looking forward to working with that core group again."

Brown said he'd like to get back in coaching soon and will look at some different opportunities.

At Coconino, coach James Ingram has decided to resign after two seasons.

Ingram was 23-21 in two seasons and led the Panthers to an appearance in the '08 Class 4A, D-II state tournament, where they lost in the opening round.

Ingram said he will remain at CHS as a teacher, but is ready to move on from basketball and spend more time with his family.

"There wasn't a problem that made me want to step away, it's just a big time commitment and I want to relax and enjoy some time with my family," Ingram said. "There are no negatives about the situation. I really, really enjoyed my time coaching there and was in a really good situation.

"I'm not leaving on a bad note or with bad feelings or anything like that. It's just time to go and let someone else have a shot at it."

Both schools will begin looking for a new coach shortly, but will have to wait until July 1 to make a hire because of the FUSD budget situation.

With Ingram and Brown both not coming back, it leaves Flagstaff High's Tyrone Johnson as the only returning coach to the GCR.

Page's Jim Adkins took a teaching job in South Africa after the season and Cottonwood Mingus' Bob Young won't return next season.

In addition, the GCR will lose Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain, but will pick up Bullhead City Mohave.

In other news concerning GCR coaching changes, Page coach Vernon Brazeal is stepping down after three seasons. His resignation is listed on the agenda for next Tuesday night's agenda of the governing board of the Page school district.

The school also expects to recommend a new football coach and athletic director soon.

Paul Gagnon, one of the couple dozen applicants for athletic director, withdrew his application upon accepting the position of assistant principal at Cottonwood Middle School.

Gagnon had been head coach of the PHS boys soccer team for five years and is now serving as assistant coach for the Sand Devil baseball team.

"I really hate to leave Page because of the community and the people I've met here," Gagnon said Wednesday. "This is a fantastic community with many great people to associate with."

Brazeal had been an assistant to former head boys basketball coach Aaron Anderson before taking over in 2006-07. Without the luxury of the likes of 6-foot-11 Matt Haryasz or 6-10 James Anderson, Brazeal's teams went 14-60.

Brazeal declined comment Thursday.

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