Fallon’s Brooke Hill announced his decision to step down from the football program after guiding it for 15 years, which included a pair of state titles.
Photo by Thomas Ranson.
For the first time in 15 years, there will be a new leader of the Greenwave football program.
After taking over the position in 2009, Brooke Hill led Fallon to its highest win total in the school’s last year in the state’s largest class (4A) before building up the program that won two championships in four state finals. Hill finished with a 117-44 record.
“When Tristan graduated last year after having three of my sons in the program and nephews play for me, I knew the end would be coming,” said Hill, whose two older sons Ethan and Levi Andrews are currently playing football collegiately. “It was after this offseason when I sat down with my coaches, wife and family to see where I wanted to go. The boys being able to sign was a factor. I'm still young enough to do some things.”
Hill informed the school, his staff and his players this month about his decision.
“I’m sure there was shock and disappointment,” Hill said about his talk with the players. “Coach (Lalo) Otuafi was there too. What we talked to them about is this program is in a lot better shape than when I took it over in '09. It’s an attractive job. It’s a good job. It’s (the players’) job to be leaders until they get (a new coach) to take over the job.”
Fallon won its first state title in 40 years when it defeated Moapa Valley in 2015 at Reno High School two years after the Greenwave made their first state final appearance since the Tony Klenakis Sr. days. Three years later, Fallon was back in the winner’s circle, defeating Truckee for the state championship in Carson City.
“When we started, did I think I would go 15 years?” said Hill, who attributed his success to having a strong and dedicated coaching staff. “I couldn't tell you that but I had an idea that we can fix it coupled with the community support. I’m a Fallon kid and played Greenwave football. One of my big mentors is Chris Klenakis. We just needed to keep going, keep the hunger going, keep the fire going. I can't tell you how important it is to keep a staff together.
“It’s not just Ken Dalton. It wasn’t just Joe Sellers. It’s those guys who are with them. Not that I'm at those guys’ levels, but I know what it takes.”
STRIKING STATE GOLD
Both championship teams relied on a strong senior class and each was important in separate ways.
The 2015 team battled during the regular season and Hill said when the Greenwave entered the playoffs, his players showed resilience.
“Just to finally get us to where we were, it was very special,” Hill said. “That senior group was just a special senior class that was not going to be denied. You kind of saw it through that group especially when we got to the playoffs, faced adversity and we were not going to be denied. That was tremendous.”
The 2018 team showed from Week 1 that it was state championship or bust.
Fallon went perfect against the 3A, including a thrilling win at Truckee during the regular season, before beating the Wolverines again for the state title. The squad included several future college players: Ethan Andrews, Sean and Tommy McCormick, Brock Richardson, Nick Delgado and Ben Dooley.
“That team was tremendously talented,” Hill said. “It was a bunch of hard-working kids who didn't rely on their talent. There weren't a ton of them. There were only 25. That was a team that was so uber-talented and had such good football players. We just had to get out of the way.”
A PROGRAM FIX
When Hill took over in 2009, his goal was to fix Fallon football and get it back to the success from the 1970s teams, which won three straight state titles.
Hill broke into coaching when he was an assistant at Manogue for three years, then spent one year with Tommy Thomson’s Fallon program before switching to baseball. After Fallon moved to the 3A in 2010, it took only two seasons to reach the state semifinals when the Greenwave upset Elko on the road and then nearly snapped Truckee’s record winning streak. One year later, Fallon lost to Faith Lutheran in the state championship at Damonte Ranch High School.
“Going back to '09 in the 4A, that's when Coach (Lalo) Otuafi and myself had an idea of what to accomplish,” Hill said. “We had early success (in the 4A). We won four games, which was the most in 20 years. We were able to realign and move to a division that suited us a little better. We were able to keep building. That helped quite a bit. We weren't in it for a one- or two-year fix. We were in it to fix it.”
And while Hill’s focus was on the high school program, the youth leagues pulled their weight, teaching fundamentals that simulated the Greenwave’s scheme. This coupled with the youth’s success helped the players’ transition into high school.
“The SYFL predates me. That was an important step that continued to build,” Hill said of the youth programs, which also included Pop Warner later on. “When they’re winning at that level and age, it creates a winner's mentality. You can’t help but to capitalize on that. You want that mentality. We’ve had clinics with them over the years. They’ve been really good working with us. The mentality of winning is so very important. That definitely played a role.”
Thomas Ranson/LVN file photos
Fallon’s Brooke Hill announced his decision to step down from the football program after guiding it for 15 years, which included a pair of state titles.
NAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC
The most challenging time for Hill and his staff came four years ago during the pandemic’s onset.
The fall 2020 season was moved to the spring and shortened to six weeks with no postseason. Mandatory testing was in place along with other protocols like masks and social distancing. The 2021 spring team finished the season undefeated and had the makings of a state championship squad.
“If there was the most difficult time it was through Covid,” said Hill, who teaches at the high school and has five years left with the district. “Just navigating through the workouts, staying apart, training and conditioning, not meeting in locker rooms, riding buses with masks on, it was very trying. You saw a lot of coaches step out that time.”
The next season, which started four months later, had its challenges. With testing protocols in place, Hill saw several players miss games and practices, and even had to start a third-string quarterback on the road.
“That team in 2021, we were able to right the ship halfway through and settle into a rhythm,” said Hill of his team that upset No. 1 North Valleys on the road to advance to the state semifinals. “That was probably one of our better coaching jobs. The kids responded well.”
Hill’s final two seasons had high expectations but ended with Fallon missing out on reaching the state semifinals. Fallon lost both games on a kick against Elko last year and Spring Creek in 2022 after the Greenwave advanced to the state semifinals two years ago. Fallon fell to Fernley in the 2019 state championship after winning it the year before over Truckee.
FOOTBALL AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
During his 15 years as the head coach and eight as an assistant, Hill has seen dozens of players play in college, ranging from the NAIA to Division I. One made it to the NFL more than a decade ago.
“We’ve done a really good job at getting kids to the next level because the kids themselves are buying into what we were selling,” Hill said. “My coaches were getting it across to them. We gave them an opportunity to play when they got there. That’s so critical. We put them into positions where they can compete at the next level and play right away.”
The cherry on top was getting to coach his family.
With his wife, Alisha, snapping photos on the sideline, Hill didn’t know how special it would be to coach his three sons.
“That’s the most special part,” Hill said. “There was a seven-year span when I had my boys in my program. I didn’t know how special it would be until I got to do it and be around them all the time and see them work. All three were on the 2019 team. That’s the highlight of them all, more than state championships.
For Hill, he also saw success beyond the football field for his former players.
“We’re really proud of is No. 1, we’ve been able to not only create good football players but turn out kids who go to the next level,” Hill said. “A lot of them have turned into really good men. We’ve got doctors, lawyers, teachers, husbands and dads. A lot of them have come back to coach with me. Being able to bring some of these guys on, that’s the big success. They’ve turned into, what we really wanted, good leaders, husbands and dads. That's probably the thing we take the most pride in.”
Thomas Ranson/LVN file photos
Fallon’s Brooke Hill announced his decision to step down from the football program after guiding it for 15 years, which included a pair of state titles.
THE FUTURE
What does the future look like for Hill and the football program?
While Hill looks forward to watching his sons compete in college and taking more camping trips with a trailer he and his wife bought during the pandemic, a void will still need to be filled on the sideline. The football position is different from when Hill took over 15 years ago. It’s a state-caliber program that fell one game short of reaching the state semifinals in November.
“I’ve done this for 28 years,” said Hill, who will miss the Friday night excitement, the players and the camaraderie with his coaching staff and film sessions. “The players were a huge part of it. Seeing the team, not knowing much about them and taking the team and getting the most out of it, that was the most satisfying thing. Seeing the team mature. With the best teams we had, we didn't have to coach them very much. Just to see that in a team and achieving a goal and sometimes not achieving a goal. These last two teams lost on kicks.”