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Chatfield's McGatlin follows in father's footsteps with football state championship

Bret McGatlin recently led the Chargers to the Class 4A state title. His father Don did the same with Green Mountain.

DENVER — It’s been a work in progress since 1985.

Bret McGatlin, the head football coach at Chatfield, just won his first-ever state championship.

“It all felt like a dream…Our legacy is going to be at Chatfield forever,” McGatlin said.

Bret grew up on the sidelines in Colorado. His father Don is a legendary coach in our state. He won two state football championships (three track and field titles) coaching at Green Mountain high school in the 80s and has 205 career wins.

“Once I get to 206 I’ll be good,” Bret said jokingly.

Since he was a young kid Bret would be helping the team and rooting on his dad’s program.

“He would get so into se, I think he took the losses harder than I did when he was a boy,” Don mentioned.

Don coached his four sons through the years at Green Mountain, including a 1993 Jeffco league championship with Bret on the team.

Don now is an assistant coach at Chatfield with his son. And the two just helped lead the Chargers to their first Class 4A state championship victory in 20 years.

“I think I was more proud of him than I’ve ever been proud of anything I’ve done,” Don said.

For the McGatlin family, championships, and relationships, last forever.

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9NEWS Prep Sports Reporter Scotty Gange shares this story, if you have a story idea you email him at Scotty.gange@9news.com or message him on Twitter @Scotty_G6

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