Richard Dunn
Growing up the oldest son of a major league baseball player, Branon
Coluccio understood the term bouncing around at an early age.
"I lived in just about every state when I was little," said Coluccio,
born in Mesa, Ariz., before spending most of his childhood in a town
outside of Olympia, Wash.
When Bob and Terry Coluccio moved the family to Newport Beach, it was
a bit of a culture shock for Branon, who was about to enter seventh grade
at Ensign Intermediate School.
"It was the first day of school and I had a hockey haircut," he said.
"I would say it was a pretty harsh transition at first, but I adjusted
relatively quick and I think sports helped out a lot."
Coluccio and his two younger brothers, Rett and Chad, played many
sports and eventually all graduated from Newport Harbor High.
A three-sport standout at Newport Harbor, Branon Coluccio earned a
football scholarship to Southern Methodist University, where he was later
slowed by injuries after a banner prep career.
An All-Sea View League safety in football and all-league
center/forward in soccer, Coluccio played center field in baseball for
three varsity seasons, mostly with longtime teammates Matt Palaferri,
Chris Carden, Aaron McKown and Brian Rogers.
"The baseball team was very special," Coluccio said. "There was a
group of about six of us who played together every year since I was 12,
when we moved down there."
Coluccio, who has lived in Dallas, Texas, since arriving at SMU as a
freshman in the fall of 1992, likes to joke about how he has helped Coach
Jeff Brinkley's Newport football program to prominence by "leaving."
Coluccio, however, was a 6-foot-3, 195-pound bone-jarring strong
safety and talented wide receiver. He made all-league on defense his
junior year in 1990 and as a wide receiver his senior year.
"Brinkley was an amazing coach to play for," said Coluccio, a
three-year letterman. "We did (win), and we went to the (CIF Southern
Section) playoffs every year. But we certainly didn't dominate like (the
Sailors) have been."
In 1991, when the Tars finished 7-5 and advanced to the CIF
quarterfinals, Coluccio caught a team-leading 46 passes for 517 yards --
an average of 11.2 yards per catch -- from quarterbacks Mike Ofer and
Greg Williams.
A co-captain and the team's offensive MVP, Coluccio carried a 3.5
grade-point average and was selected to the GTE/Rams Academic All-Orange
County football team as a senior.
In soccer, Coluccio was also a three-year varsity player, and, as a
