Football: Aaron Carlson set to take over Centaurus program

Aaron Carlson has been named the new head football coach at Centaurus High School, officially bringing the two-month search to fill the position to a close.

Centaurus’ former head football coach, Andy Hampton, stepped down from the role after six years following an impressive conclusion to the 2023 season, which showed success that was unparalleled in the last decade of the program. Needless to say, he left a big impression on the CHS community and even bigger shoes for his successor to fill, something Carlson hopes to be able to do in the coming years.

“Coach Hampton has done a tremendous job with the program and they obviously had a great last season,” said Carlson, who takes over a team that won the Class 4A I-25 League and finished 8-3. “I’m thankful to him, his coaching staff, and the football family there at Centaurus for all that they’ve done and accomplished. I just want to continue to build on that foundation.”

Carlson spent the past four years as the head football coach at Estes Park High School, helping to build the football program in the community he grew up in. Before that role, he was an assistant coach at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, where he worked mostly with the offensive line.

Karl Buck, Centaurus’ athletic director and assistant principal, said Carlson’s own unique coaching style and past success should translate well the the Warriors.

“He has a belief in his philosophy, particularly on the offensive side of the football, which is going to be exciting for the guys,” Buck said. “And his approach to strength and conditioning is a little bit new and innovative.”

For Carlson, though, football is more than a game, and the team is bigger than just the varsity level. He plans to be very hands-on with not only the varsity team, but also in the continued development of both the JV and freshman teams in the coming months.

“I want them to gain the skills to play great football and feel like they’ve been invested in from a coaching perspective,” Carlson explained. “We certainly want to continue to build on those younger age groups because that’s the lifeblood of the program, but we also want to use football as a transformational tool in their lives to help them be who they need to be, grow up, and grow within their football programs.”

When searching for Hampton’s replacement, the selection committee highly regarded Carlson’s close relationships within his team and community at Estes Park.

“We were looking for someone who puts relationships first, which is kind of building on what Hampton and his staff did for many years, so we wanted someone who fit that role as well,” Buck said.

Carlson has high hopes for the future of the Centaurus football program, where he will make his coaching kickoff in the 2024 fall season.

“I want this to be the greatest experience of their high school career,” Carlson said. “I want them to look back on their football experiences as life changing and something that they will always fondly remember. That means helping them grow up, mature and be great citizens in their communities, but also being as competitive as possible on the football field and just having some fun.”