Montgomery XC & Track Support for Coach Bryan

Dear Montgomery XC/Track & Field Family,

We tragically lost our friend and Coach Bryan Bradley this week during XC practice.

I am asking us to raise $1500 ($100 for each year he coached at Montgomery) as gesture of respect and to support his family and daughter as they navigate the costs (both tangible and intangible) in the aftermath of Bryan's passing.

Thank you,

Melody

Here is my tribute to Bryan:

Today we lost one of the best men I have ever known, a dedicated coach who poured out his time and energy into the cross-country and track & field athletes of Montgomery for the past 15+ years. A proud Viking alumni and former Montgomery three-sport athlete (cross-country, basketball and track & field) who still currently stands as #3 on the Montgomery Track & Field all-time list for long jump, Coach Bryan was deeply loved and admired by all within the local track & field community.

Coach Bryan was the first to arrive at any xc/track practice and the last to leave, always taking extra time with athletes who respected his immense knowledge of the sport and his intense joy in seeing them better themselves.

Coach Bryan first recruited me as his assistant for track & field six years ago and then for my dream job - the head coach of the Montgomery Cross-Country program, even though he could have easily done it himself.

He and I would spend hours discussing athletes and strategies over the phone. In 2021, after years of wildfire and COVID-19 riddled xc/track seasons, we celebrated our first 5-0 season together for boys track & field -winning the North Bay Oak League in a breathtaking final meet against Santa Rosa where we won by just a few points. Other highlights were seeing four of our athletes qualify for the state XC championships (2) and the state track & field championships (2).

When the legendary xc/track starter Bob Shor passed away a few years ago, Coach Bryan stepped up as the new local starter for races. He and I managed the last six years of the legendary Viking XC Opener Invitational and Viking Track Classic, hosting the largest xc/track invitationals in the North Bay together. We would often start the mornings before these invitationals with a 5 a.m. breakfast at IHOP, and then compete throughout the day to see who would get the most steps in at the meets that would often last 12 hours or more and 18,000+ steps later (he always won).

Coach Bryan would always lend a helping hand to anyone in need. He was kind, generous, selfless and honest. He will be deeply and sorely missed. I know he will be with us this year in the stands, cheering on every athlete and yelling at them to run their hardest in the last few seconds of the race.