On Dec. 15, 2018, the Redlands Unified School District released a press release stating that “Kurt Bruich, longtime head varsity coach of Redlands East Valley (REV) High School, is heading to Citrus Valley High School (CVHS). After a highly successful 16-year tenure at REV, Coach Bruich said he is ready to tackle a new challenge as head varsity football coach at CVHS.” See full press release here: REV High School’s beloved head football coach heads to Citrus Valley

By CAROLINA SANCHEZ

On Tuesday, December 12, longtime Redlands East Valley football coach Kurt Bruich announced that this semester was his last as REV’s football coach. He will start the new year as the Citrus Valley head football coach.

Year after year Coach B, as he is colloquially known, has been a stable on REV’s campus. He lead Link Crew and the football team. And every year he is one of four teachers that announce the names of students graduating. Many on campus saw him as a father figure, whether they knew him personally or not.

For the 16 years he was head coach, he has been able to take the REV football team to 11 CBL championships, countless Smudge Pot and Orange Bowl victories, a CIF Inland Division title, a Southern California Regional title and a State Championship. He took a losing-record team to a State Championship. He has sacrificed countless nights on the makeshift football field on REV’s lower fields, filled countless holes and has helped generations of boys become young men.

As expected, his exit has had mixed reactions. Students, parents, and alumni were surprised at the announcement. Many REV football players felt betrayed that Bruich was leaving for a cross-town rival. Others recognize that he left for a football program that has more support and, possibly, for a team that has a real football field.

Redlands East Valley High School is RUSD’s only comprehensive high school without its own stadium on campus. Pictured above is Citrus Valley High School’s Hodges Stadium. Photo by GABRIEL STANFIELD

Senior Mathew Whiteley said that “he and his coaching staff deserve a stadium.” Many REV alumni have called Bruich the “Greatest of All Time” because of all of the sacrifices he has made.

Football coach Kurt Bruich

Coach Bruich declined to comment at the time of the writing of this article.