KAYENTA — How is an athletic program deemed successful? Unfortunately, most outside the circle of a sports team setting lean heavily on rating how much success a certain club has based on wins, losses, or championships won.

Within a true team, however, most players and coaches will share that success comes in many forms, and being a “winner” is more about the process, and the rewarding feeling one gets while within that process, rather than product itself.

Yet, some people reading this will say, “Well, losers say that.” Perhaps that’s how their mind views it, but it couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Take Monument Valley football for instance. Built on the philosophy of the Hózhó, which represents balance, harmony, and beauty in all things within the Navajo (Diné) people, longtime head coach Bryan Begay has built one of the best high school football programs in the state of Arizona.

The Mustangs don’t rattle off 10-win seasons on a regular basis, nor have they won any state championships. But for Begay and the rest of the surrounding community, that isn’t what it’s about.

“It is about respect, discipline, and working together for something greater than yourself,” said Begay, who has led the program for nearly 20 years. “This philosophy has guided both our players and coaches not only on the football field, but also in the classroom and in life.”

Nestled in one of the most remote areas of Arizona, Monument Valley football often travels everywhere from Kingman, to Flagstaff, to Winslow and beyond to compete, and the long bus rides have never held them back.

Players buy in quickly because the coaching staff, made up of former players and other community members who have been together for nearly two decades, have set the tone from the beginning.

“Our success is built on the longevity of our staff, the foundation of Hózhó, and most importantly, the commitment of our players,” Begay said. “Each summer we raise our own funds to attend competitive camps with the purpose of preparing our athletes to compete at the highest level.”

Herb Barnes, who coaches the offensive and defensive lines for Monument Valley, has worked with Begay since 2007.

“It’s like being in a family,” Barnes said about the coaching staff. “You know what the other coaches are doing and their likes and dislikes. It’s great, funny and sometimes crazy.”

And watching the scores of players grow up in front of his eyes? He says it’s “bittersweet.”

“Bitter because they have to leave, but sweet because they are moving on to the next chapter of their lives,” Barnes said.

Jason Franklin, who is the offensive coordinator and coaches the quarterbacks, running backs, defensive backs and handles special teams, joined Begay’s staff in 2007.

“The previous coach left at the end of the 2006 season. When the position was advertised, Bryan [Begay] and I were the only two people to apply for the head coaching position. Bryan was elected and he asked me to be his offensive coordinator,” Franklin said. “we’ve been coaching multiple sports together ever since.”

Franklin said that being part of the Mustang football family is a “huge” part of his life, both personally and professionally.

“I wear it as a badge of honor,” said Franklin, who graduated from Monument Valley in 1997 and was quarterback for the team that ended St. John’s 44-game unbeaten streak, including helping the Mustangs win a state playoff game for the first time in program history.

“I come from a background of winning Mustang football, so it’s been such a monumental privilege to work with the coaching staff who has maintained the continuity and bought into the ‘Hózhó’ philosophy,” Franklin said.

That philosophy was introduced in the late 1980s by coaches Ed Tano, Ollie Whaley, Rick Beeler and many more assistant coaches.

“I’ve immensely enjoyed the chance to work with such incredibly influential people at Monument Valley, and I love being able to share what I’ve learned and experienced (football and otherwise) from four decades of life and knowledge in and around the Kayenta area,” Franklin said, adding that it’s “rare” to have a coaching staff that has been together this long.

“I truly believe it’s a testament to how much we love our school, our students, our community and being a Mustang,” Franklin said.

Much of the rest of the coaching staff joined the program in 2009 and are former players or were developed within the staff over time to help contribute to the success of the program, Begay said.

Several members of the staff, including LeVaughn Hunt, Tyrrell Holiday and Julio Kaye once played for Begay. Even Dakota Kay, a physical therapist in the White Mountains and former Fort Lewis College football player, has a connection to Begay.

“Having former players return as coaches creates a special bond within our group and strengthens the culture that we have built,” Begay said, adding that it’s been amazing how the coaching staff has stayed together after all these years.

“I still remember when we were the new faces in the region, and now we are experienced men who have grown together over time,” Begay said. “The consistency of this staff has given me constant support both on and off the field, and they remain the backbone of our program through every challenge.”

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on X at @AzPreps365Brian or on Facebook at @Five2MediaWorks. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.