WITH STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL UPON US I TOOK SOME TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH HEAD COACH OF THE CODY BRONCS MATT MCFADDEN TO GET HIS THOUGHTS ON THE SEASON AND LOOK AHEAD TO WHAT’S NEXT.
A WEEK AFTER LOSING TO THE POWELL PANTHERS IN LAST WEEKS SEMI-FINAL ROUND, THE LOSS CAN STILL BE FELT IN THE WALLS OF CODY HIGH SCHOOL. A SEASON THAT BEGAN WITH SO MUCH PROMISE ENDED JUST AS ABRUPTLY FOR THE BRONCS WHO HAD THEIR EYES SET ON A STATE TITLE APPEARANCE. COACH MCFADDEN SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THIS YEARS CAMPAIGN.
“I TOLD THE KIDS, LAST THING I TOLD THEM WAS GREAT GAME AND IT TAKES AND IT GIVES, BUT TO HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH. THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING TO BE PROUD OF, FROM THEIR EFFORT TO DEALING WITH ADVERSITY, TO GO 8-2. THEIR’S A MILLION TEAMS THAT DON’T GET TO PLAY IN NOVEMBER. TO GO 8-2, THEIR’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT’LL KILL FOR THAT AND YOU KNOW OUR EXPECTATION AND OUR BAR IS HIGH. WE DON’T APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BUT THEY NEED TO HOLD THEIR HEAD HIGH. I THOUGHT THEY HAD A TERRIFIC YEAR. THEN HOPEFULLY ONCE THINGS SETTLE DOWN WE’LL LOOK BACK REALLY FONDLY ON THE YEAR AND THE MEMORIES THAT THEY HAVE.”
THIS SENIOR GROUP HAS EXEMPLIFIED WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEADER AND TO BE COMMITTED TO NOT ONLY FOOTBALL BUT WHO THEY ARE AS PEOPLE. IT WAS THIS GROUP THAT KEPT THE TEAM ROLLING ALL YEAR LONG. COACH MCFADDEN EXPLAINS THE IMPACT OF THE GROUPS COMMITMENT TO SERVICE.
“ONE OF OUR VALUES IS SERVE AND LEADERSHIP. WHEN I REALLY LOOK BACK ON WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO, WE’RE TRYING TO BUILD MEN AND AS I’M SITTING IN THE LOCKER ROOM AFTERWARD AND FEELING PRETTY BAD FOR MYSELF I LOOK OUT AND YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE OUR WHOLE SENIOR CLASS GOING OVER OUR VALUES TOGETHER. THEY’RE TALKING TO THE UNDERCLASSMEN ABOUT WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO. THEY FINISH WITH ONE OF THE BEST HEARTFELT PRAYERS I’VE EVER HEARD TOGETHER, THEN THEY LEAVE AND THEN THEY CLEAN UP THE LOCKER ROOM. YOU KNOW ON THEIR LAST GAME. SO REALLY SPECIAL GROUP. WHEN I SEE THAT IT ENCOURAGES ME THAT OUR CULTURE IS STRONG AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT THESE GUYS ARE WELL ON THEIR WAY TO BE FINE YOUNG MEN.”
THE NEXT STEP FOR THIS CODY BRONCS PROGRAM TO TAKE BEGINS WITH THE UNDERCLASSMEN. COACH MCFADDEN ON THE NEXT STEP THE YOUNGER PLAYERS MUST MAKE THIS OFF-SEASON.
“IT BASICALLY STARTS FROM SCRATCH EVERY YEAR.YOU’RE REBUILDING AND THE COMPONENTS OF IT, OF A SOLID TEAM AND OF A CULTURE. SO WE JUST WANT THOSE KIDS TO START THAT PROCESS OF BEING GOOD TEAMMATES, OF SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER, PUSHING ONE ANOTHER IN THEIR SPORT, IN THE WEIGHT ROOM, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THAT WE’RE MAKING GOOD DECISIONS. THAT’S REALLY, YOU KNOW FOR THOSE UNDERCLASSMEN IS TO STEP UP. YOU’RE NO LONGER UNDERCLASSMEN, YOU’RE NOW THE LEADERS OF THIS TEAM.”
AS FOR WHAT COACH MCFADDEN IS LOOKING FOR IN HIS PLAYERS PREPARATION WISE FOR NEXT YEAR IT ALL STARTS WITH COMPETING. HE ENCOURAGES ATHLETES TO PLAY MULTIPLE SPORTS AND TALKS ABOUT WHY THAT IS IMPORTANT.
“YOU GET ONE SHOT AT HIGH SCHOOL. YOU GET ONE SHOT AT PLAYING BASKETBALL, BEING ON THE ALPINE SKI TEAM, ONE SHOT AT PLAYING FOOTBALL, OR TRACK OR WRESTLING. AT THE MOST YOU GET FOUR SHOT, RIGHT? 9-12. IT’S KEY THAT THESE KIDS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE. I’M JUST A BIG BELIEVER IN COMPETING YEAR ROUND. YOU DON’T GET THAT OPTION (ANYWHERE ELSE). I’VE JUST SEEN WAY TO MANY KIDS LOOK BACK WITH REGRET AND WE WANT TO PUSH THESE KIDS. WE’RE NOT A YEAR ROUND SPORT BUT WE’RE YEAR ROUND COMPETITORS AND YOU SHOULD COMPETE EVERY CHANCE YOU GET, IN EVERY SPORT YOU GET AND EVERY SEASON.”
AND WHAT IS COACH MCFADDEN LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST AS THE OFF-SEASON IS UPON THEM?
“I THINK IN THE OFF-SEASON IT’S JUST THAT FIRST PRACTICE. THE SMELL OF GETTING BACK OUT THERE, SMELL OF GRASS OR IN OUR CASE TURF AND JUST GETTING GOING AGAIN. I REALLY ENJOY PRACTICE. I REALLY ENJOY PRACTICING WITH THESE YOUNG MEN AND SEEING THEM IMPROVE. THAT’S A WAYS OFF SO RIGHT NOW I’M JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SETTLE FOR THE WEIGHT ROOM, THE SWEAT AND THE GRUNTS AND GETTING BETTER THROUGH A LOT OF HARD WORK.”
THE CODY BRONCS FINISHED THE 2019 CAMPAIGN 8-2 ON THE SEASON. STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK THROUGH THE OFF-SEASON FOR UPDATES ON THE CODY BRONCS FOOTBALL TEAM.
