Brittain blood on the field
September 28, 2018 by Emily Keenan, Arizona State University
Tempe Preparatory football team praying before their game.
A football game is filled with more than the act of playing football. There are children tossing a ball behind the bleachers, pretending that they are professional athletes. There are family members behind the counter, selling hot dogs to the fans. The sounds of the quarterback calling the play, helmets colliding and the whistle being blown by the referee.
At Tempe Preparatory Academy, these were all created by one family.
Tom Brittain sought something more for the students than just an education; a way to build relationships beyond the classrooms, which happened to be a football team.
The Brittain Family is ingrained within the history of Tempe Prep, which all started back in 1997, when Brittain started a 10-man flag football team competing in the Young Men’s Christian Association.
It was not until the 1998-99 season when the boys put on some pads and were the first charter school to join the Arizona Interscholastic Association with a 12-member, eight-man playing squad.
“Well, I started the program… because it was clear to me that the young men of our school needed motivation to stay at Tempe Prep. The academic rigor and newness and small size of the school might be positives with parents, but not kids.” Brittain said, “I wanted to help my school and fell in love with coaching football in the process.”
Brittain held the position of head coach for over 17 years. During his tenure, the team was the first charter school in Arizona history to make it to the state championship, losing to Yuma Catholic in the 2014 season.
The family’s involvement with the program does not stop there. In 2013, Gary Brittain was coaching the offensive line alongside his son Tom, when his other son, David Brittain, relocated to the area and also joined the coaching staff.
“While I stepped in and out of coaching, my brother stayed the course and developed a great tradition and culture of hard work and the mantra of ‘work-works’ that still goes with him on the license plate of his beat-up football pick-up," David Brittain said.
The last season for Tom Brittain at Tempe Prep was 2015-16, when he parted ways and took the head football coach position at St. Mary’s High School, leaving the Tempe Prep position open.
It was then when Brittain’s oldest son, Joshua, took the reigns and took the role of the head coach, which also continued their family name throughout the history of the Knights’ football program.
While the family has been part of the coaching staff over the years, there has also been Brittain blood on the field. There is currently a father-son duo on the team this year with David as an assistant coach and his son, Caleb Brittain.
“Caleb has stepped into a leadership role as our starting center and inside linebacker and is known as one of the hardest hitters and most dependable players on the team.” David said, “He leads by example, is not without flaws as he takes calculated risks in his aggressive style play.”
Caleb is currently the only healthy senior on the roster this season due to some injuries.
“Playing on a team that was started by my uncle and carried through the years comes with a big reputation of loving football and playing hard.” Caleb said, “... I want the hard hitting and tough Tempe Prep image to last.”
The 2018 season marks the very first season without a Brittain as a head coach. Larry Cain is at the helm.
David Brittain said, “I am confident that Coach Cain will build the trust of our young men to join the program. He already has, and the word will spread that playing football for the TPA Knights is an invaluable life-transforming experience.”
Even after all of the years that have passed, Tom Brittain still keeps Tempe Prep near and dear to his heart.
“I discovered my vocation at Tempe Prep and the school was very supportive of me and my family over the years. I will always be a Knight.”
