Brighton High School reached into its rich wrestling history for the appointment of a new boys head wrestling coach. Brayden Stevens, Brighton’s latest two-time state champion (2017-18) was signed to take the helm from four-year coach Burke Gappmayer. 

The 26-year-old Stevens, who graduated Brighton in 2018 as an All-American wrestler, continues in the footsteps of a litany of legacy coaches who have produced 77 individual state champions and 14 team state championships. That Brighton tradition of wrestling excellence began with another newly appointed 26-year-old head coach 57 years ago in 1969—coach Don Neff, who was hired when Brighton opened.

Neff reacted to Stevens’ appointment with words of advice: “Building a wrestling program and winning a team wrestling title require a lot of detail work that many aren't willing to do.”

Coach Chad Flook added, “Glory does not come quickly in this sport. It needs to be built over years and years of consistent dedication and leadership.” Flook headed Brighton’s wrestling program 2009-12. Coach Dave Chavis, who was assistant coach with Neff and then head coach from 1979-89, dropped his sage advice for the new coach: “Do something every day that makes the program better.” That consistency proved key to Chavis pushing the program to 14 state championships. 

Stevens was a beneficiary of the Brighton’s wrestling program and became a contributor to its ongoing success. He reflected on his early experiences at Brighton. “I remember the first day of school getting lost in the circles as a newly moved-in student from Vernal. Two teachers, Mrs. Rawle and Mrs. Yee soon made me feel at home. They continue to play important mentorship roles in my life,” he said.  

Stevens credits Brighton’s strong sense of community and caring staff as key influences on his development. He soon found success on the football field and glory on the wrestling mats as a three-time 5A All-Star. He was a four-time state-qualifying wrestler, a three-time state finalist and a two-time state wrestling champion. 

While completing his college degree, Stevens has added “decorated wrestling referee” to his accolades. He was named USA Utah Official of the Year in 2023 and traveled nationwide to officiate tournaments. As an assistant wrestling coach at 6A Mountain Ridge High School he coached six state champion wrestlers, 43 state placers and the 2022 region championship team. In addition to adding head coach to that list, Stevens joins the Brighton science faculty. 

Coach Christine Yee, Brighton’s current girls wrestling coach, described Stevens as a hardworking, determined student who set ambitious goals and stayed disciplined in both training and academics. “Brayden’s greatest strength is his ability to connect with all kinds of people, which helped build interest in wrestling and made him effective in roles like yearbook and leadership at Brighton. Over the years, I have seen him handle high-pressure situations—officiating games and running tournaments—with professionalism and composure. I love that Brayden loves Brighton and Brighton wrestling. That’s infectious. The kids are going to love it.”

Brayden Stevens is the second “coach Stevens” Brighton has had. Coach Mitch Stevens, Brayden’s father was head coach for six years from 2014-20. His advice for his son’s first head coaching appointment: “Remember you are developing young men to be better people, better sons, better husbands, better fathers and better people in our society. Wrestlers will look up to you as an example setter and you want to set the right example for them. You can have success and do things the right way.”

Coach Ted Sierer, a two-time state wrestling state champion at Hillcrest who was Brighton’s head coach from 1998-2008, had this advice for the new coach Stevens: “Coaching the Brighton wrestling team is such a great experience. There is such a strong legacy that comes with the program. I felt an instant connection with amazing coaches and wrestlers that were there before me. Coach Stevens needs to embrace that history and strive to build on it. When a sense of honor in being a Brighton wrestler is established by the coach amazing things can happen.” Sierer, who later coached at Olympus, counts his time at Brighton as memorable with 14 individual state champions, a 2001 team state championship and hundreds of lives changed through wrestling. 

A teammate from the Brighton teams is the late 2010s, Henry Barth, recognized Stevens’ potential. “I thought Brayden was a great wrestler and leader for our team back in high school. He inspired me and taught me to be a better wrestler, and I have no doubts he will teach and inspire his new team as the head coach.”

As the new head wrestling coach, Stevens emphasizes building character in student-athletes and fostering a culture of hard work, respect and success both on the mat and in life. “Leading the program at Brighton is the fulfillment of a long-held dream,” he said. “I feel honored to continue the legacy of successful coaches, including my father.” 

Principal Marielle Rawle, who is also a returned Brighton alumnus giving back to Brighton with her career, cited the mantra: “Once a Bengal, always a Bengal.”

Brayden Stevens was named as USA Utah Official of the Year in 2023. (Jerry Christensen/City Journals)