Sons of CVHS track coach Mark Evans leave Santa Clarita school as track/cross country coaches.

By Brandon HENSLEY

To say their tenure as track and cross-country coaches at Golden Valley High School has been successful would be an understatement, but now their time has ended.

Chris and Rob Evans, sons of Crescenta Valley High School track coach Mark, resigned as coaches from Golden Valley in late May. Rob will stay on staff as an English teacher, while Chris will pursue other coaching opportunities.

The brothers competed at CVHS – Chris graduated in 1997, Rob in 1999 – and both ran at UC Irvine. They came to Golden Valley in 2007 to start what would ultimately become a wildly successful program. The Grizzlies made state meet boys’ team appearances in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, in which they were Division II state champions that year.

The school also finished 10th last December at the Nike Cross Nationals in Oregon.

Chris said family reasons affected Rob’s decision.

“My brother has a 1-year-old daughter, and wanted to spend time with his family,” Chris said. “Coaching takes a lot of time, and he’s out there until 5:30 p.m. every day and doesn’t get home until later in the evening. Between Saturday track and cross-country meets he wasn’t spending [as much] time with his daughter [as] he wanted to.”

That’s what their father did when they were growing up.

“When we were kids and growing up, he took some time off from coaching to watch us grow up and see those moments and participate in our lives,” Chris said.

Rob said for himself he wanted to pursue other coaching opportunities that are more full-time. He currently is a coach for the Crescenta Valley Soccer Club.

Both brothers live in La Crescenta and have had to make the drive everyday up to Santa Clarita to coach the Grizzlies. Rob will still do that with his teaching job.

“In the age of budget cuts, especially with education, it’s good to know he’s got a job,” Chris said.

Chris said the school was disappointed but understanding after they tendered their resignations.

He wanted to put the reason for their team’s success in proper perspective.

“The program is bigger than us. The reason those kids were successful is because they came every morning at 5:30 to work out and stayed every evening until 5:30.”

Golden Valley is currently in the process of filling the position. Meanwhile, Chris said his father has been understanding of his sons’ decision.

“He’s been 100% supportive of us in everything we do,” Chris said.

  Brandon Hensley