As the 2025-2026 school year kicks off, the AHS athletic department has two new faces joining the Skiers. Brett Beville, the new Athletic Director, was previously Athletic Director at Vanguard High School in Ocala, Florida, a fellow IB school with over 2,000 students and 52 teams on campus. Along with being the Athletic Director, he has had a vast amount of experience coaching various sports such as girls’ softball and golf, which has taught him the importance of athletics in students’ lives. Beville is enthusiastic about stepping into a position where he can use his previous leadership experience to foster an inclusive and positive community. The opportunities that Aspen provides are things that Beville is excited to continue and improve as the new Athletic Director.
“There are state championship trophies all over the school, and the future looks bright to keep those trophies,” Beville said. “I’ve been able to start on a good foot here, and I think that I’ll be able to help grow the athletic program to win even more than those that have already been won.”
Beville’s primary goal for athletics is to increase participation on and off the field. He has learned that sports are a motivating factor in helping kids stay in school, as they help give students a motive to work towards. Sports teach students to overcome adversity, work as a team, and push themselves. Beville has worked with students from a multitude of different backgrounds, so for the coaches, he has implemented an enhanced standard for understanding various circumstances. He believes that the strongest athletes and teams emerge from team dynamics founded on trust, connection, and the ability to be there for one another.
“You don’t know what kind of home life they’ve [kids] come from, so you’ve got to be able to find the right balance between being able to read kids and being competent in your sport,” Beville said. “That also negates some of the wanting to win. If the kids are learning how to play the sport and feel safe while they’re there, you can balance that out. You have to be showing growth, and they [kids] have to know that as the coach, you’re looking out for them.”
Within the walls of the school, Beville is making it a personal goal to engage in conversation and get to know athletes. As a former D1 collegiate football player at the University of Florida, he is excited to help athletes pursue similar collegiate goals after high school.
Beville is joined by Bryce Sandoval, the new assistant Athletic Director and head football coach, who also has experience playing football at a D2 college level at Southern Nazarene University. Sandoval previously coached as a Defensive Line coach at Bayfield and Durango High School. Coming from a family of teachers, Sandoval always knew he would work in a school. A prime influence that led Sandoval to coaching was his head football coach from high school, so as he steps into the same position, he aspires to be the role model he once looked up to.
“The fact that I get to be able to guide and mentor anyone is huge. I wouldn’t be here today without my coach,” Sandoval said. “Having the opportunity to step in as assistant AD [Athletic Director] and really support all the sports and be someone who can help organize, make sure that things run smoothly, and really set teams up for success was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Sandoval’s new motto for the football team, “hold the rope,” is a symbol of the standards he holds his athletes to, which the players have maintained so far this season. He intends to coach students, fostering athleticism, discipline, and effort. This stems from personal experience, where he has learned to operate according to a standard regardless of what’s happening around you. He encourages players to trust their teammates and build a family with each other.
“We don’t have rules in the football team, we have standards. What you do in the dark matters. When the lights aren’t on on Friday, everything you did up to that is going to matter. We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, but we fall to the level of our standards,” Sandoval said. “If you truly trust your teammates, then all you focus on is your job. You have to fully trust he’s gonna make that block, kick, pass, catch, tackle, whatever. Trying to build that brotherhood is a really important key there.”
Sandoval incorporates the idea of trust into his coaching and the ability to shoot for higher. As the head football coach and assistant Athletic Director, he wants to encourage growthful mindsets for players both on and off the field.
“Why do good, or good enough, when really good is attainable? There are a lot of things you can’t control. We talk about the three things you can control: our discipline, your effort, and your attitude,” Sandoval said. “They don’t happen to you, they happen for you, and you can control how disciplined you are. That’s showing up on time, doing the next right thing, making the next right decision, and how much effort you put in.”
