Brenneman returns to coach FHS boys soccer

By DAVID LESNICK

The Daily Inter Lake

Zach Brenneman, a two-time, all-state defender, helped Flathead High School capture the Class AA state boys soccer championship in 2005.

It was his senior season.

Now, he has the opportunity to do it again, but this time from the sidelines.

Brenneman was named the Braves head soccer coach last week. He replaces Nate Evans, who resigned this spring after three seasons.

“I want build excitement for Flathead soccer,” he said.

“Increase the number of people who participate, and hopefully through participation, build a program that’s successful and competing for state championships.”

Brenneman, who turned 30 in March, was one of three finalists to interview for the position.

“Flathead is excited to have Zach lead our program,” Flathead activities director Bryce Wilson said in a press release.

“He was a great competitor as a player and can move the program forward.”

Brenneman graduated from FHS in 2006. Flathead finished third at state his junior year and second his sophomore season.

Brenneman played JV soccer his sophomore year, but moved up to varsity for the state tournament and saw playing time.

“He has a strong desire to lead the Flathead Braves soccer program with positive energy and hard work,” Wilson said.

“He outlined his vision during the interview with details for leading the program with communication, competing, fun and commitment.”

Brenneman has been an assistant boys soccer coach at Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way, Washington, for the past three years. Beamer beat Pasco 2-1 for the 4A soccer championship in 2017 to finish with a 19-1-1 record. It was the school’s first state soccer title.

Beamer advanced to state this year, losing in the first round.

Boys soccer in Washington is played in the spring, girls soccer in the fall.

Brenneman graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 2010 with a B.S. in mathematics and a minor in physics. A year later he received his Masters in education from the same university.

He taught math, physics and computer science at Beamer. He will teach primarily physics at Flathead.

“It’s kind of cool how everything has fallen into place,” he said.

“The teaching job, then I got the coaching job. All the pieces falling into place when we decided to move in that direction. My wife and I talked about being closer to family, to try to move back to the Flathead Valley.”

Brenneman was hired as a teacher at FHS in mid-April. He applied for the coaching job “two or three days after I got the teaching job.”

“A big guess, but a couple things (helped him land the coaching position),” he said.

“One that helped a lot is I would be an employee of the school. It also helped that I played for Flathead and was part of a successful program there. Those were the two helping factors.”