Denver Broncos Flag Football Coach of the Week: Colin Hart, Monarch
AURORA – In its second season of flag football, Monarch, coached by Colin Hart, is off to a 6-1 start and the No. 5 ranking in 4A after going 9-7 last season.
Hart’s work is recognized today as he has been named the Broncos Flag Football 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.
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 Colin Hart:
Q: How did you become involved with flag football, and how did you become the head coach at Monarch?
A: I first started off with boys tackle football for about 8 years, and then last year, the opportunity came up to coach at Monarch. It’s where I went to high school, so it’s pretty cool that I get to go back there and coach our district team, but it was just luck. I coached lacrosse at the high school as well, and I was helping with an athletic night, and we got a bunch of girls asking, ‘what about flag football?’ I talked with the AD and threw my name in the pot, and here we are. It’s been an awesome transition for me, I absolutely love it.
Q: How was that transition?
A: It’s completely different. I definitely had to get my feet wet there and take a couple bumps and bruises before we figured ourselves out and found our footing. It’s a completely different game, and I was naive into thinking that it wasn’t, but it’s been so much fun to learn it on my end. I try to keep myself up to date on everything, but it’s constantly changing, which is a good thing, and that means that the sport’s growing. I’m very happy with it, it’s been a good transition for me.
Q: With a couple years of experience with this team and this sport, how does the organization and logistics side of the game compare to the sport’s debut season?
A: It’s way better. We’re still working out some little nooks and crannies, but it’s been seamless. I definitely feel we’re more organized than we were last year. Also, I’m learning things you don’t know that you don’t know. Still even today, I’m telling myself things I could have done differently and finding adjustments I’ll make next year.
Q: With a record of 6-1 and your only loss coming to last year’s 4A runner-up, Mountain View, what do you think is the biggest factor behind your team’s success so far?
A: Our girls are bought in. They want to be here and they want to be great. We can do our best as coaches, but we’re not playing. They’re the ones that are out there executing and doing everything that we ask them to do. We’ve got a very receptive group, and film study has been huge for us, increasing our football IQ. It’s all a testament to our girls in wanting to be there and wanting to get better.
Q: You have three straight shutouts. Did you come into the season wanting to prioritize a strong defense or did it just
come naturally to this group of players?
A: We wanted to have a strong defense for sure. I knew we had a lot of potential coming back, and I think the girls are finally putting it together. They’re understanding how to stay disciplined, where we want them to be, where we don’t want them to be, and just knowing the game better. (It’s) communicating and harping on what we’re trying to accomplish as a defense every single day. When you hold teams to zeros, you can tend to get a little complacent, and that’s the last thing I want. I’m constantly harping on that in practice, to be better. We want to be an elite defense and never plateau.
Q: How would you describe your coaching style or philosophy?
A: Understanding it’s all about our relationships and making sure that we have good relationships, that’s first and foremost. Showing them that we care, and we’re going to hold you accountable and there’s a standard. You mess up on a play, you’re going to get subbed off. We’re going to talk to you, and you’re going to go right back in there.
Q: What does it mean to you to coach this team and be a part of a sport that gets more recognition every day?
A: I think it’s awesome that I get to be back at my high school that I went to and start this program, and just be a part of a growing sport. After the Olympics, it’s just going to blow up. Getting to see that and getting to show our girls, in two years, if you put your mind to it, you could be on the USA team playing flag football. That would just be so cool to see eventually one day either a professional or Olympic player playing from our hometown. That’d be fantastic.
Q: Is there anything that you want to shout out or anything that I missed?
A: I would just like to shout out our team. It’s all because of them and it’s all because of our coaches, too. I want that to be a part of it as well. This is not just an individual award, it is a team award, and kudos to them. That’s where all the credits should be. I’m very appreciative and grateful, but I would not be able to do it without the group of gentlemen that I have leaning with me and this group of girls.
