Coach Brian Yokoyama brings 20 years of experience to the Mounties Track and Field Program.  During his tenure he has worked with over 65 California State Community College State finalists including ten State Champions (nine pole vaulters, one javelin thrower) and nine State Runner-Up Finishers. Through the years he has coached nearly every event and has guided school record holders in the men’s and women’s Pole Vault and Javelin.

From 1995 to 2007, Yokoyama also served as an Assistant Cross Country Coach, helping lead the Mountie Women to 3 State Championships and 8 top five finishes.  In 1996 and 1997, he served as the Women’s Track and Field Head Coach and led the team to a second place finish during the 1997 season.

Yokoyama has guided three Mounties over the 17 foot barrier and fourteen over the 16 foot barrier. Future two time Olympian Giovanni Lanaro, who entered Mt. SAC as an 11'06" pole vaulter, cleared a school record of 17'06" to capture the National Community College Championship, Dustin Morrison captured the State Championship with the #2 all-time mark of 17'01", and Jordan Savidge captured the 2007 State Championship with a mark of 17'00"1/2.

In 2001, he was named the College National Pole Vault Coach of the Year by the USA Track and Field Pole Vault Development. In 2007, he was named State Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year by the California Community College Cross Country/Track Coaches Association and in 2008 he was named South Coast Conference Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year by his peers.

Yokoyama is very active with the USA Track and Field Pole Vault Development.  He currently leads both the Men's and Women’s National Pole Vault High Performance/Development as the National Chairperson. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the North American Pole Vault Association and is actively involved in running the USATF Pole Vault Summit (3,000 attendees in Reno, NV) and the NAPVA National Championships (8,000 Spectators) in Clovis, California as Co-Director.

Through the years, Yokoyama has worked/consulted with many top national and international pole vaulters including:

• Giovanni Lanaro-(19’01”-5.82M) 4th place at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships, USA Community College Champion, California State Community College Champion, Mexican National Champion, Mexican National Record Holder, Pan American Record Holder, 3 time NCAA Division 1 All-American, 2004 and 2008 Mexican Olympian
• Daichi Sawano-(19’01.5”-5.83M) 2006 IAAF World Ranking #4, Japanese Record Holder, 2004 Olympic Finalist, 2008 Olympian 
• Rob Pike-(18’06.5”-5.65M) 3 time Canadian National Champion, 2001 World Championship Competitor
• Tim Mack-(19’08.5”-6.01M) 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2004 Number One World Ranking, Olympic Record Holder, US Olympic Trials Record Holder, US National Champion
• Teruyasu Yonekura-(18’04.5”-5.60M) Former Japanese Record Holder, 1996 Atlanta Olympian
• Manabu Yokoyama-(18’08.25”-5.70M) Former Japanese Record Holder, 2000 Sydney Olympian
• Jeff Ryan-(18’05.5”-5.62M) NCAA Division 1 All-American, Top 10 US Ranking
• Jason Hinkin-(18'08.25"-5.70M) NCAA Division 1 Indoor Champion, 5 Time NCAA Division 1 All-American, Long Beach State School Record Holder

He is an active speaker and has presented at numerous top clinics throughout the US and the world including the USA Track and Field Coaches Association National Clinic, USATF Podium Education Project, LA84 Foundation Track and Field Clinics, Japanese National Pole Vault Camp, Taiwan National Pole Vault Camp, Arizona State High School Coaches Clinic, All Sports Clinic, MSI Track and Field Clinic and Helena Montana Pole Vault Clinic.

Prior to arriving at Mt. SAC, Yokoyama served as an Assistant Coach at Lynwood High School (Lynwood, CA). Through the years his high school pole vaulters have made 11 California State High School Championship Finals (top 9) appearances. He has also worked with a number of top High School Decathletes including the #1 and #2 High School Decathletes of all-time, Donovan Kilmartin and Marcell Allmond.

In the community college ranks, he serves as the South Coast Conference Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Representative and as an Executive Board Member of both the Southern California and State Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association as the Treasurer.

At Mt. SAC, he currently serves as the Sports Information Director, Professor, Assistant Track and Field/Cross Country Coach, Mt. SAC Relays Elite Division Director and Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational Community College Director. He has also served in other capacities including Marketing Director of the Performing Arts Center.

Yokoyama received his Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology from Cal Poly Pomona. In his spare time, Yokoyama enjoys spending time with his family, cooking and traveling.  Coach Yokoyama and his wife, Shinobu (Yamamoto), reside in Pomona with their three young children, daughters, Raechel and Daphne and son, Braeden.

Updated 11-05-09