Zach Dworaczyk is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student assigned to cover Chaparral High School for AZPreps365.com.

SCOTTSDALE— Despite recent rough stretches, Chaparral athletics and the Firebird branding remain alone near the top of Arizona high school athletics. 

Through its numerous brand deals, booster club and famous alumni, Athletic Director Jack Bagley and Chaparral athletics have never failed to provide money and great facilities for its coaches, players and fans. 

“There's so many businesses I can’t even name them,” Bagley said. “It’s a huge benefit to have businesses willing to give back in a financial way, even providing a meal for the teams and stuff like that really helps a lot.” 

The Firebird branding carries significant weight within the Scottsdale community and Arizona in general. This attention has enabled the school to develop all of its athletics programs with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. 

“Chaparral has a huge tradition of being academically strong and being very competitive in athletics,” Bagley said. “The expectation is that we stay at that level.” 

For Bagley, continuing success is the key to maintaining the Chaparral brand name and furthering off-field sponsorships. 

“People want to be a part of a winning program,” Bagley said. “If we continue winning and producing, people are going to want to be a part of that. The more games you win, the more people that are going to come to the games, and the more sponsors are gonna see that.” 

Famous alumni who have walked through its doors continue to make a difference in the lives of current students by providing for the school.

“(It’s) not only in athletics, but we’ve had a lot of people who have gone on to become great actors and actresses,” Bagley said. “We’ve had a lot of successful people who started their own companies and businesses… They’re more than willing to give back.” 

Bagley recalled a recent interaction he had with an alumnus who was looking to contribute to the program. 

“I had a meeting with a guy who just graduated in 1992 (who) owns his own company manufacturing video boards,” Bagley said. “He wants to come and give back to Chaparral because we have made such an impact on his life.” 

Current athletes in the program are even feeling the immense impact of the alumni who have paved the way for them. 

“Some of the football players that went on to the NFL send videos in about the (players) that are wearing their numbers,” freshman quarterback Ryan Trocki said. 

The alumni base often works in cohesion with the various booster clubs that accompany every sport on campus. 

These booster clubs fueled the team's various endeavors, including the $2.2 million facility that the football team uses, according to head coach Trace Carroll.

“The booster club and the community, they have the ultimate buy-in,” Carroll said. “They want to be great.” 

The bottom line for Bagley is, above all else, winning as to him; the rest will fall into place. 

“People want to be a part of it, they want to be a part of a winning program,” Bagley said. “The more you win… People want to be a part of that, so they’re more willing to help out and let it continue.”