The RCHS Touchdown Club hosted a family barbecue following the game on August 16 to bring all players and families together to build community. Here, Coach Lamb regroups with the team as they prepare to kick off the RCHS 2014 season.

By Kathy Fallert; photo by Dave Tweed

Starting his second year as Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) football coach, Brian Lamb is shaking things up a bit and all for the better. Parent and booster club member Brian Roach remarked, “Coach Lamb has brought a new excitement and enthusiasm to the football program at RCHS, including us starting a booster club (Touchdown Club) to support the football program. The team will have a whole new look this upcoming season along with the other exciting things that are happening!”

Also a math teacher and originally from Southern California, Lamb attended the University of California, Los Angeles and received his bachelor of science in math and his master’s degree in education. In 1993, he began his teaching career at Toll Middle School in Glendale, California and has loved teaching ever since.

In 1996, Lamb moved to Highlands Ranch where he now lives with his wife, Amy who is an assistant principal in Littleton and his four kids: Taylor (18), Lauren (16), Katelyn (14), and Kaden (10). After involvement at several schools including ten years at Mountain Vista High School, Lamb moved his teaching career one more time to RCHS.

Beginning his school coaching in 1996, Lamb took two years off of high school coaching in 2010 to get more involved with his kid’s softball and basketball teams. In 2012 Lamb rejoined the football coaching ranks as the head junior varsity football coach at Mountain Vista and won the league title with only sophomores on the team.

The RCHS football program has 100 players from freshmen through senior. A few standout varsity players include Ryan Hommel (QB), Justin Hunter (OL/DL), Jack Lamb (WR), DJ Webb (RB), Seth Mackey (DL), Payten Gilmore (RB/LB), and Tanner Cuda (P). Lamb says, “We finished 3-7 overall last year. This year we have eight returning starters on offense, but only two returners on defense. We look to improve each week and become a much more competitive team.”

New to the program last year was the booster club known as the Touchdown Club. Touchdown Club President Tom Kearney commented, “Our primary goal is to provide Coach Lamb and his staff with the tools necessary to lead a competitive 5A football program and support our players. We are partnering with our players, parents, coaches, and cheer & pom organizations to accomplish this goal with fundraising, team building, and the help of our business community.”

Some of the proceeds raised are donated to the Jill Lamb Foundation. Jill Lamb was Coach Lamb’s wife who passed away from breast cancer six-and-a-half years ago. This foundation was formed to raise money for survivors to assist them in the everyday needs they have as they go through treatment. The upcoming RCHS varsity game on October 3 versus Mountain Vista will be a Pink Game, supporting breast cancer awareness and raising money for the Jill Lamb Foundation.

Lamb wrapped up with, “Our players have done a great job preparing for this upcoming season. They have spent numerous hours in the weight room and on the field to improve their athleticism and football knowledge. I feel confident that we will be a better team this year. We are now in the Continental League, which will be a huge challenge for us. Through hard work, dedication, and team work, Rock Canyon football should make some great strides this year. I’m so proud where this program has gone over the past year and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”