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SALT LAKE CITY — A candlelight vigil was held Monday at Hillcrest High School for Head Coach Cazzie Brown who died Sunday from meningitis caused by West Nile Virus.
Brown was hired on as the head coach a few years ago but quickly became the staple for Husky football. Players lined up along the 50-yard line of the football field, holding hands and pictures of Coach Brown.
Bishop Brown, Coach Brown's son, shared memories and expressed gratitude for the hundreds of people who were in attendance. Senior Mckay Ashby recounted a story about how Coach Brown bought new clothes for members of the offensive line who may not have been able to afford them, and once brought a big sack of clothes for them, loaded in the back of his truck.
Offensive coordinator Ron Hill knew Coach Brown for 16 years and coached with him for 8 years. Hill and Coach Brown were coordinators at Judge Memorial; Hill later joined Coach Brown’s coaching staff at Hillcrest.
“He was someone that just lit up a room every time he walked into it.” Hill said, “We both kind of had a dream and we talked about it when we first got together. He wanted to be a head coach and all I wanted to do was score touchdowns. We always said that someday we’re gonna put them together. He allowed me to have a dream, to complete one of those dreams.”
Senior Tyson Flores considered Coach Brown a “father figure” and appreciated the dedication he saw his coach commit to the team and the community.
“He always said 'You get better, you get worse, you never stay the same,' so that always stuck to me because of the hard work I saw him put in. And it just made me want to work that hard to be where he was at.”
The team slogan has been, “One Pack, One Goal,” and that slogan perfectly described how Coach Brown approached the team and the community — always putting others in front of himself. Hill called the slogan Coach Brown’s “life philosophy.”
Student body president and football player Boston Iacobazzi played for Coach Brown the last two years and credited the coach for being one of the reasons he joined student government.
“He just promoted leadership … and he just inspired me.”
Coach Brown made sure his love for the players also extended out to their parents. Heidi Paxman’s son plays for Hillcrest. As a single parent, she had a tough time paying for football-related fees, but Coach Brown made sure he was on the team.
“He was a close friend of ours," she said. "My son doesn’t have a dad and he really stepped into that role. I’ll always remember him with his big heart and his smile. And that family, this is what he created.”
Coach Brown was a vibrant personality who coached at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, Highland High School and East High School. Some gathered for the vigil wore shirts and hats from the different schools. Coach Brown was known to his friends and family for his motivational tactics, his abundance of generosity and his smile. He touched the lives of many at the schools and in their communities.
A GoFundMe* account set up for Coach Brown's family has raised over $73,000 in the past day.
Hillcrest plays Highland on Friday, Sept. 1 at home. Hillcrest encouraged all in attendance to wear white in remembrance of coach Brown.
**KSL.com does not assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
