By Kandi Tonsager,
Head girls cross country coach, Brit Clarkson, is named as the 2025 South Dakota Cross-Country Coaches Association Head Cross Country Coach of the Year. Coach Brit has been coaching cross country and track for the Broncs since 2020. She has been involved in cross country most of her life as a runner throughout her school years with her dad coaching cross country and track in Sundance, Wyoming in her youth. Brit placed at Wyoming State Cross Country and in Track every year in high school. In track she competed in the 1600, 3200, 4×800 and open 800 events and still holds records in Sundance High School for both the 1600 and 3200 meter races that are 25 years standing.
Brit is also a long-time member of area running clubs, including the Black Hills Runners Club for the past 12 years, and has participated in many races herself. She qualified for the Boston Marathon in 2022 where she competed and finished in 3 hours and 10 minutes. The Boston Marathon was Brit’s 3rd marathon race. She also won the women’s 50-mile Ultra Race for the Black Hills 100 series in 10 hours 33 minutes. Britt has directed the Bear Lodge 10k race for the past 6 years. It is evident her passion for distance running as not only a dedicated coach, but as a participant as well. She is a role model for her cross-country and track distance runners as well as many in the area who follow her, and her family’s outstanding running career. Brit and her husband, Trey’s oldest son, Sawyer, a Bronc 2023 graduate, continues his accomplished running career as a collegiate runner competing at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Sons Lennon (Junior), and Maddox (7th Grader), compete for the Broncs in cross country and track, earning their way to the podium in their respective events many times over as well. Trey is a BH Runner’s Club member & accomplished runner as well.
Brit fosters an excellent regimented skill building program to help her team succeed. The girls’ team earned their way to the state competition in Huron this season with a 7th place state finish. Coach Brit names this as well as taking 1st in the Bronc home cross country meet and 2nd at the Regions meet as this cross country season’s highlights and is looking forward to next season. “Goals are high!” states Coach Brit, “we hope to win Regions and make the podium at State as we were just 1 point away (from the podium which places out to 6th) this year. It was the highest placing ever from a Belle Fourche girls’ team.”
Next season looks promising. Thank you for your continued dedication to distance running and Congrats Coach Brit!
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