Coach C

Brick Cegelski, 59, has coached in some capacity for 37 years, creating an impact on many of his student-athletes during their time under him. Cegelski attended Cheyenne Central High School and would eventually find his way back to coaching their football team, which he once captained, and track team. Leading teams to several state titles, he doesn’t find pleasure in winning, but in the lives he has come to know and gets to follow.

“The best thing I get out of coaching is the satisfaction of watching young boys and girls grow up and become great people," Cegelski said. “The kids that put the effort in and work hard, it doesn’t matter what they do or what kind of athlete they are, they’re going to come out on top.”

Cegelski stays up to date with many of his past athletes and follows where they end up in life, following many of them on social media and texting. “It’s some pretty special moments.”

After nearly four decades of coaching, Cegelski decided it was time to call it quits after the 2022 track and field season. Retirement allows for the new chapter in his life to begin with his family at the center of attention. Following many years of his coaching, his wife Laura and he look towards the future of lots of hiking, hunting, and fishing, along with many visits to Sheridan and Wyo. to see their son and across Cheyenne to see their daughter and granddaughters.

"What you put into life, you get out of it; that's all I've got to say."

  • Brick Cegelski, 59, coaches high school track and field for Cheyenne Central High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Cegelski observes the incoming runners in the 4x100 meter relay on April 16, 2022 in Westminster, Colo. He helps most of the relay teams with handoffs, but mainly coaches hurdlers. From 1996-2013, Cegelski was also the head coach of the football team.

  • Brick Cegelski yells at one of his athletes in the 400 meter dash. It is one of his favorite events and has always helped runners with it. Cegelski has been coaching for 37 years and been inducted into the Wyoming Coaches Hall of Fame.

  • Brick Cegelski (top) wrestles with his athlete, Conrad Prescott, during a track meet in Westminster, Colo. on April 16, 2022. The wrestling match started after Prescott called Cegelski “old.” Cegelski considers himself to be like a father figure to many of his athletes.

  • Brick Cegelski (left), John Bogus (middle left), Craig Prine (middle right) and Brad Pickett all wait for the start of the 300 meter hurdles on April 16, 2022 in Westminster, Colo. Many of the coaches have worked together for years, coaching track and field and being assistant coaches for Cegelski in football. “The best thing I get out of coaching is the satisfaction of watching young boys and girls grow up and become great people,” Cegelski said.

  • Brick Cegelski (left) observes Richard Prescott practicing going over two hurdles in the Cheyenne Central High School Fieldhouse on April 21, 2022. Cegelski grew up in Cheyenne and attended Cheyenne Central, setting multiple passing records as quarterback for the football team. His connection to athletics started at a young age with his mother coaching swimming and his father being a professional football player and NFL scout. From his own life, Cegelski derived a concept for coaching. “The best kids in school come from athletics and extracurriculars, learning how to compete in life and deal with any situation.”

  • Inside the trophy case in Brick Cegelski’s home, sits several photos of his sister, Valerie. Val passed away from ovarian cancer in 2005. Photos of Val can be found across the house. “She was the life of our party, when we lost her, we lost a lot,” Brick said. “She would expect us to do what we are doing right now and that’s been a big part [of my life].”

  • Brick Cegelski embraces hurdler Madisyn Bailey after hitting a hurdle during the 300 meter hurdles in Westminster, Colo. on April 16, 2022. “The biggest part that has stood out to me [about coaching] is the influence and impact that I’ve had on kids,” Cegelski said. “I’ve stayed in contact with many, and seeing what they’ve done is a special thing.”

  • While watching the NBA Playoffs, Brick Cegelski enjoys a beer after dinner with his wife. Following the 2022 track and field season, Cegelski plans to fully retire from coaching. He is looking forward to being able to spend every day with his wife and see where life takes them. “What you put into life, you get out of it, that’s all I’ve got to say.”