Coach of the Year is a 1980 American TV film about a paraplegic coach, starring Robert Conrad, Erin Gray, Red West and Daphne Reid.

The film was very popular.

Plot

Jim Brandon (Robert Conrad), a former player for the Chicago Bears, is a returning veteran who has been paralyzed in the Vietnam War. Upon his return to his home town, he tries to get a job as a football coach, but does not get it. He comes up with the idea of becoming the football coach at the Illinois State Training School for Boys in St. Charles after a visit there. Coach Brandon tries to become accepted by the young delinquents at the prison, while coaching them to succeed on the football field.

Cast

• Robert Conrad as Jim Brandon
• Erin Gray as Paula DeFalco
• Red West as Superintendent Turner
• Daphne Reid as Merissa Lane
• David Raynr as Munroe Sweetlife Johnson
• Ricky Paull Goldin as Andy DeFalco
• Alex Paez as Hector Estrada
• Richard Marx as himself (credited as Richard Marks)

Production

• The movie was filmed in Batavia, Illinois, including a scene in Dick s Townhouse Tavern, and St. Charles, Illinois, including scenes at the Illinois Youth Center.

It was produced by John Ashley a former actor who was an old friend of Conrad s.

Year	1980
ReleaseDate	1980-12-20
RuntimeMins	96
RuntimeStr	1h 36min
Plot	Jim Brandon, a former player of the Chigago Bears, was paralyzed during the Vietnam War. When he returns, he tries to get a job as a football coach, but he doesn’t succeed. After a visit to the youth prison, St. Charles, he thinks…
Directors	Don Medford
Writers	Frank Abatemarco
Stars	Robert Conrad, Erin Gray, Red West
Produced by	John Ashley,Joan Conrad
Music by	Pete Carpenter,Mike Post
Cinematography by	Paul Vombrack
Film Editing by	Howard Deane,George R. Rohrs
Casting By	Vic Ramos
Art Direction by	Richard B. Lewis
Makeup Department	Jean Caputo,Gerald Soucie
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director	Kevin G. Cremin,Douglas E. Wise
Art Department	Mike Monckton,Karen O Hara
Sound Department	Jeff Clark,Donald J. Malouf,Bill Pellak
Camera and Electrical Department	Michael Kohnhorst,James A. Miller,Joseph Tomko
Casting Department	Judy Boley,Vic Ramos
Costume and Wardrobe Department	Mickey Antonetti
Location Management	Eddie Hubbard
Script and Continuity Department	Elizabeth Gallagher
Additional Crew	Chuck Courtney
Thanks	Jerry Auchstetter,Howard A. Peters III,Clarion Smith,Robert Waters
Genres	Drama
Companies	A. Shane Productions
Countries	USA
Languages	English
ContentRating	TV-G
ImDbRating	5.2
ImDbRatingVotes	176
Keywords	vietnam war veteran,coach,american football,wheelchair,juvenile detention