BrianWalsh

BrianWalshOn Thursday, September 29, the Long Beach Post hosted an event to honor young people from around the city who are doing great things to better their community and beyond. Out of hundreds of nominations from our readers, judges chose 40 winners, representing a range of professions and activism. The Post will be profiling each honoree in the coming days.

St. Anthony High School Athletic Director Brian Walsh, 39, has earned the private institution’s athletic program countless recognition, including seven CIF Southern Section team and individual championships and 25 League Championships.

In the midst of his fourteenth year at the small Catholic school in downtown Long Beach, it’s no surprise that Walsh was nominated for his dedication to its young athletes.

Walsh actually had no idea he’d been nominated until he’d won. He said his initial reaction was one of surprise, which soon “evolved into a sense of pride.”

“I love Long Beach and am proud that I get the opportunity to impact the community [in] such a positive way,” he said.

Walsh has served St. Anthony High School in several roles, including assistant principal, athletic director, dean, facilities manager, teacher and coach. Previously, he coached football at St. John Bosco High School and baseball and football at Woodrow Wilson High School. As an athlete at St. Anthony’s, class of 1995, Walsh was an All-CIF and two-time Press-Telegram All-City selection in football, as well as a member of the 1995 CIF Finalist baseball team.

Looking toward the future, Walsh said he is always finding ways to improve the efficiency of the athletic program.

“I look to continue to provide support for my coaches by finding ways to make things more efficient from an administrative standpoint, so they can spend more time focused on coaching our teams and less time dealing with some of the tedious aspects of running a program,” he said. “I think that [winning 40 Under 40] has mostly validated the work we have done and continue to do to make St. Anthony High School and its athletic programs a great option for kids in our community.”

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].