Olney Strong

When people think of the word “strong,” what comes to mind? Is it muscle, or how much a person can lift?

The B.R.U.I.N.S. (Building Respect, Unity, Integrity, Nobility and Service) are strong in spirit and in character. BRUINS are not afraid to show emotion, whether they are giving a hug or a note to their player, telling them they love them or giving them words of encouragement.

Athletic Director and Coach Jody Guy, a man of strong character and integrity himself, has been coaching for 22 years, with 14 of those years as a head coach. Being from the small town of Winter, Texas, Guy said he knows all about how the love and support of a community can inspire greatness in a high school football team.

This was one of the reasons Guy and Coach Gunter Rodriguez put their heads and hearts together to create the BRUINS program.

The idea behind the program is to get the fathers and local men of the community to mentor and teach the boys of the group how to grow up as men with integrity, honor, respect and manners.

Some of the group’s activities include a breakfast on Friday mornings at The Refuge, with time for the adult and teenager to bond and give words of encouragement.

The BRUINS men will write notes of encouragement and attend all football games to show their love and support. The BRUINS men will also help teach the young men the proper way to handle a win and a loss.

This program has become very popular in the community, with 30 men participating so far. Coach Guy said he is looking for more men of the community to step up and show the boys how to become outstanding men of Olney.

In a recent broadcast from local shop Hometown Coffee and Tea, with booster club president Chad Edgington, Coach Guy said he would like the whole community to support these young men by showing up on Friday to the game.

“We need to get back to the basics of what Friday Night Lights is all about,” he said. “The whole town shuts down and shows up at the field of at the away games.”