ARVADA — Some traditions are forever, no matter the time or faces that pass through. Nearly 20 years after graduating, former Arvada West standout wide receiver Brad Pyatt is back on the gridiron to continue the tradition of winning -- except this time, as head coach.
Pyatt took the helms at his alma mater in the fall of 2014.
"The AD called me and just said, 'Hey we have a position opening for Arvada West.' And he actually called me about three years before at Golden when he was there. It just wasn't the right time for me," Pyatt said. " Being A-West, it was a little more intriguing to me, and it just happened to be with my life where it was, it was a good opportunity for me to jump in. That was five years ago, and I'm glad I did."
When Pyatt started, the football program hadn't seen a winning season in four years. He knew it was going to be a rebuilding process and that it would require patience and trust. For advice, he turned to his high school football coach, Dave Logan.
"I asked him when I took this, 'How do I go into this, knowing this is going to be a long term plan for me?' And his biggest thing was, set realistic goals," Pyatt said.
Pyatt played a young group of kids on varsity, many of them freshmen and sophomores -- knowing that by their senior seasons, the experience would pay off.
"I think the journey has been up and down. We won three games our first year, and the last two years we've been able to win 13," he said. "The kids are starting to buy into it and they're seeing the success of what's been in place to happen."
This fall, the Wildcats are primed for another playoff run. Leave it to a proven winner to turn things around.
Under legendary Colorado high school football coach Logan, Pyatt was part of a run that saw the Wildcats as the state's power house. Twice, Pyatt led his team to the 5A state championship game. In 1997, they won, giving Logan his first of many titles.
"When I got here [as a coach], I wanted to bring back what I was exposed to, which, with coach Logan here, we had a great run," Pyatt said. "I want to bring that tradition and culture back here, and that's what I've been trying to do the last year is to get the kids to understand what A-West once was, and what it can still be."
Pyatt, himself, has shown his players the potential is limitless. His career took him to the University of Northern Colorado, before four years in the NFL, primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He would eventually end his playing days with the Colorado Crush in the Arena Football League.
"If anything, it makes us work harder, because it proves to us someone from this school can make it, and we have a chance to make it, too," Arvada West senior Brady Legault said.
Some of Pyatt's best playing days came in high school, and he expects that winning tradition to continue now that he's back.
"We don't have to journey too far out to create something. It's here, it's been created since the 70s when coach [Brian] McGregor was here," Pyatt said. "Being part of this for 20-plus years, and being able to hopefully keep coaching many more years is what I'm excited about."
Arvada West opens the 2018 fall season on August 23 versus Poudre.
