Denver Broncos Flag Football Coach of the Week: Blaine Voth, Berthoud

AURORA – Berthoud scored a victory in its first-ever flag football game, defeating Eagle Ridge Academy 21-6 on Saturday.

Coach Blaine Voth, a long-time tackle football assistant and the head track & field coach at Berthoud, started the program in the spring.

His work is recognized today being named the Broncos Coach of the Week.

Throughout the season, there will be a Broncos Coach of the Week named each week for flag football and for tackle football, once that season is underway.

 Then, at every Broncos home game this season, during a pregame, on-field recognition ceremony, the Denver Broncos will celebrate a group of the Coach of the Week honorees.

Q&A with Blaine Voth:

Q: How did you become a flag football coach, and how did you become the head coach at Berthoud?

A: “Well, I had coached football for 24 years, and then I stepped back because I took the head track job here in 2020. When this opened, I wasn’t even thinking about it, and then I had some girls come up and ask if I would do it, if I would apply. And I said, sure.”

Q: How has the transition from tackle football to flag football gone for you?

A: I’m still learning the game of flag, but it’s been actually pretty easy, except for the blocking schemes because you can’t touch them. But it’s football, right? And, and in football, you have 7 on 7 all the time in practice, and that’s what this is.

Q: What kind of logistical or organizational things did you have to go through to get this program up and running?

A: I was hired in April. And starting the 1st week of June, right after school was out, we started doing lifting and then field time. We did basically skill work, technique work, and then we didn’t really start putting in the offense until the end of June, and the defense until the end of June. We felt that the skills of catching a football, throwing a football, being able to run … all that was more important than putting in an offense right away.

Q: What’s it been like coaching this team?

It’s been a pleasure. I’ve really enjoyed the attitude of the girls and how hard they are coming out to practice every day, and putting an effort in every day. They don’t just go through the motions. They go hard every single play in practice. I appreciate their dedication, all the hard work they put in in the summer. No complaining. They just do it. 

Q: What’s your coaching style or philosophy?

A: To me, if we win, it’s on the players. If we lose, it’s on me. I don’t ever blame a loss on the girls or on the team. If we lose, it’s because I didn’t prepare them well enough. Also, teaching is a big part of what I believe. When I coach, you know, yelling and screaming isn’t going to get anything done. You teach them what they’re doing wrong so that they’re prepared for the games. And even in the games, you teach them what they’re doing wrong, but also praise them for what they did right.

Q: As a first-year program, how big was it to win your first game? 

A: It was really big. I guess you could say I was more anxious about that game than I was about last night’s game (against two-time state finalist Mountain View). The inaugural game in your place to open the season, you want the girls to get off to a good start and to believe that, hey, they can do this, and look how far you’ve improved from June to now.

Q: And then Monday you played an established program, maybe that was a chance to learn as well?

A: Yeah, we honestly did some really good things. … It was just the little things. But I thought they played pretty well last night, especially for going up against a program that won a state title two years ago and took second last year.