West Grand High School’s head football coach, Chris Brown, celebrated coaching the 500th game of his 48-year career Friday, Sept. 15 during a home game against the Elbert Bulldogs.

His 500th game coaching was not the only reason to celebrate – the Mustangs won and have a 4-0 record for the season. With the latest win, Brown remains Colorado’s all-time winningest coach with 361 wins at the time this was written.

When asked if anything stands out in his 50-year career of coaching, Brown keeps his mindset present.

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“The game you’re playing is the most important,” Brown said during an interview with Sky-Hi News. “It was a good night, we played well.”

He says that while it was a milestone evening for him, he was focused on the students and making the most of their game night and season.

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His career started almost 50 years ago where he coached the Limon High School Badgers. In 1980, he moved to Grand County to live in the mountains with his family, and he has been coaching football in the community since.

“My kids all went to school here, all three of them, and this is a good place to be,” he said.

Although Brown is humble about this milestone, his career is nothing short of stellar.

During his career Brown has coached 35 playoff berths, earned 24 league titles and won four state championships – two with West Grand’s Mustangs and two with the Limon Badgers, according West Grand’s Superintendent Elizabeth Bauer.

In 2005, Brown was inducted into the Colorado High School Coaches Hall of Fame, and in 2008 he was inducted to the National High School Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame, among many other accolades.

He started coaching in 1976 working with Lloyd Gaskill, who is an inductee of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and is considered one of Colorado’s greatest football coaches of all-time.

Although Brown says there aren’t another 500 games in his career, he definitely plans on returning as West Grand High School’s head football coach next year.

“We’re off to a good start, we’re 4-0 and I really like this team,” he said. “They get along well and they’re improving and we’ll see how far we can go.”

The high school celebrated Brown’s milestone with cupcakes, balloons and posters during the Sept. 15 game. The school also presented the coach with flowers and a moment of recognition.

“Thank you, coach Brown for not only coaching, but more importantly teaching,” an announcer said at the game. “West Grand is blessed to have coach Chris and Cheryl Brown. It’s a great day in Mustangland!”

Tara Alatorre is the editor of Sky-Hi News. You can reach her at 970-557-6031 or talatorre@skyhinews.com.