Bret Andreas is surprised by CHS football coach Blair Roman with the Milan Tresnit Community Service Award.
The name Bret Andreas is synonymous with football in Carson City.
Andreas, a 1977 graduate of Carson High School, was inducted into the CHS Football Hall of Fame and he also was named this year’s recipient of the Milan Tresnit Award, at Saturday’s Carson High Fotball Boosters Club Kick-off Dinner at McFadden Plaza.
“I had no idea,” he said from his office Monday morning. “They hid it pretty good. My wife knew and my kids knew. Blair (Roman, CHS coach) surprised me big time. I’m the first (dual inductee). It was a big honor.”
“He is much deserving of both (awards),” Roman said. “I waited until this year to do this being his last year as president. He was an outstanding player and athlete at Carson High.”
Andreas played football for John Giannandrea, and was an all-league selection in each of his last two years at CHS. He also played baseball for the legendary Ron McNutt.
“I played safety my junior year and then my senior year I played safety and wingback,” he said.
After that, Andreas went onto College of Idaho to play both sports, and it was there he found out just how cutthroat college sports can be.
“Halfway through the baseball season, I found out they were dropping both sports for financial reasons. There was a mass exodus from the school.
“I decided to stay, and I played club rugby the last three years.”
College of Idaho brought back football three years ago, and the team is coached by former NFL quarterback Mike Moroski.
Andreas was a slam-dunk winner for the Tresnit honor. It’s hard to find anybody who has given more to the football playing youth of the Capitol City in the last 10-plus years.
Andreas coached in the Pop Warner program for nine years, including six years as a head coach at various levels. He has served as president of the CHS Football Boosters Club for the past three years, he announces the freshman and JV home games on Thursday night, and Friday home varsity games he’s a member of the chain crew.
Andreas probably attends at least two-three practices a week.
“I have flexibility with my job, so I have probably spent more time around the kids than some other presidents,” Andreas said. “It’s a lot of work. We have meetings throughout the year, but we start to gear up in April and May.
“The outgoing president usually stays around and helps (with the transition). I will still attend meetings and help.”
He joined the chain crew for varsity games three or four years ago.
“It’s the best seat in the house,” he said. “We’re on the visitors side all the time, so you get to see how they react to things.
“I have announced the freshmen and JV the last three years, and I’ll continue to do that this year. I may continue that (next year).”
Andreas’ roots to Pop Warner go way back to the early 1970s. His dad helped get the local program started.
“Reno schools were pretty dominant back then, and it’s because they had Pop Warner (as a feeder system),” Andreas said. “The Pop Warner program started in 1971. I played for Marv Texeira, and we came within one touchdown of winning the championship that year.
“I think the Pop Warner program is on the rise here.”
Part of that is because Roman started an eighth-grade Unlimited team coached by Dylan Rooker, Justin Shine and Nick Redwine, all former CHS stars. The purpose was to get younger kids learning how to do things the CHS way. The city now has just one league, as Sierra Youth Football, according to Andreas.