The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CHRIS ‘Fireman’ Brown may still be negotiating the final chapter of his storybook career as a quarter-miler, but he’s off to a great start in his introduction as a head coach at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia.

The 42-year-old five-time Olympian, who joined Clayton State as an assistant coach in September, 2018 and was elevated to head coach in July 2019, was named the Lakers’ Coach of the Year for the 2020-21 season.

“To be named Coach of the Year is a blessing. I give God all thanks and praise for allowing me to showcase my talent as a gift and to be able to give back,” he said after receiving the award this week.

“Having to go through the pandemic and all of the setbacks, I’m grateful that they recognised me for all my hard work and everything I did this past season.”

The Eleuthera native who attended Preston Albury High, RM Bailey Secondary and Norfolk State where he produced an impressive career, said the season could not have been better than it turned out, finishing fourth and fifth respectively in the ladies and men’s division in Peach Belt Conference where they had a total of seven ladies and 10 men, who all qualified for the championships in their various disciplines.

“Having eight females opting out because of COVID-19 and several male athletes also taking the season off, I think the entire team did a tremendous job and delivered in the pandemic,” he said.

After picking up the prestigious year-ending award at Clayton State, Brown said he intends to be just as consistent in his coaching as he was in his longevity on the track as an athlete over the past 24-plus years.

“I’m looking forward to a great season, a healthy season for my athletes and just continue having the success that we’ve had and just continue doing what we love to do and that is to compete,” he projected.

At present, Brown has one Bahamian on the Lakers team. She is Sasha Knowles, a middle distance runner from St Augustine’s College.

Brown was hoping to add at least one Bahamian male athlete, but things didn’t work out because of the COVID-19 restrictions.

“Hopefully next year, we will have one or two more come in,” he said.

As for the upcoming season, Brown said he’s getting his athletes conditioned and into the groove of things as they will have to be ready for the start of the indoor season on December 3.

“We are just trying to get everybody ready for battle,” he stressed. “We’re looking for the returning athletes to continue where they left off and for the new students to join in and help contribute to the team and bring our success together as one.”

Married to Faith and the father of three children, Emerald, Zorah and Shiloh, Brown is arguably the country’s most decorated male quarter-miler, having produced a total of 28 medals at the international level, including seven gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze since he came on the scene in 1997.

His desire, before he’s done with running, is to help the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay team capture one more medal, hopefully next year at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

That big event is set for August 6-15 before he officially hangs up his spikes and concentrates just on coaching at Clayton State.