Brian Hayes, Immaculate High School’s long-running cross country and track coach, was recently chosen to receive the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Award for Outstanding Coach of the Year for Girls Cross Country.
This is Coach Hayes second big honor in two years, as last year he was named the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association’s Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year for Connecticut. Coach Hayes has led Immaculate’s girls and boys cross country, indoor track and track & field teams to many victories including State championships since he began coaching there in 2004.
“I am very honored to be chosen for this award, which is selected by a committee of my peers. The success I’ve had as a coach is because I have been able to work at a school - Immaculate - that supports my program 100%,” Coach Hayes said. “The girls who come out for the team are the most dedicated, hard working young ladies I have ever seen. It doesn’t matter if they are #1 or #10, they sacrifice daily for the cross country team’s success and it makes my job so much easier. I can honestly say that every day I’m around them makes me want to work harder to ensure they achieve all that they deserve,” he added. Coach Hayes has also been a Danbury police officer for 22 years.
“We are very proud of Coach Hayes and his many achievements throughout the years with our cross country and track programs. He has invested a great deal of time developing student-athletes not only as runners but as highly regarded young men and women who proudly represent Immaculate High School,” said Nelson Mingachos, Immaculate’s Athletic Director. “Coach Hayes’ dedication to the program and students has helped many athletes achieve their goals to compete successfully at the college level, many on Division 1 teams,” he added.
The 2019 Immaculate’s girls cross country team was Patriot Division champions and SWC runner-ups. The Lady Mustangs also finished second in the Class “SS” State Championship race. Since he started coaching at Immaculate in 2004, Coach Hayes has led the Immaculate Cross Country and Track runners to the following victories:
Girls Cross Country: SWC Champions in 2011, 2013 and 2018 (runner-ups 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2019); Class S Champions in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017; Class SS Champions in 2016 and 2018 (runner-ups 2010, 2011 and 2019)
Boys Cross Country: Class SS Champs in 2018 (runner-ups 2017)
Girls Indoor Track: SWC Champs in 2012 (runner-ups 2014), Class S Champions in 2017 (runner-ups in 2018)
Boys Indoor Track: SWC Champs in 2016, Class S Champs in 2016
Girls Outdoor Track: Class S runner-ups in 2017 and 2018
Immaculate High School encourages students to find success in academics, athletics, fine arts and clubs and is ranked in the top ten of all Catholic high schools in the State of Connecticut by NICHE. One of the more affordable private high schools, Immaculate High School is also among the highest ranked Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Bridgeport and continues to attain the highest SAT scores in the Diocese. Immaculate High School students, a representation of area public, private and Catholic schools, seek academic challenges, discover leadership and engage in progressive learning opportunities and have high success rates: 100% of the Class of 2019 were accepted to choice colleges and universities and were awarded college scholarships and grants totaling $27 million.
In addition to a college-preparatory academic program that offers over 33 Advanced Placement classes and a STEAM curriculum featuring advanced technology, a CISCO certification program, renovated science labs and engineering classes and a Certified Nursing Associate program, Immaculate High School has an award-winning Fine Arts program, a student career internship program, athletic teams that have won SWC and State Championships, 44 clubs and a Campus Ministry and community service program that instills faith, compassion and reverence for others. Immaculate High School, founded in 1962, is a private, non-profit Catholic college-preparatory institution serving students from 28 communities in Connecticut and New York.