CODY BRONC FOOTBALL’S BIGHORN ANKLE AND FOOT CAMP IS CONTINUING THIS WEEK AND WHILE IT MIGHT BE LIMITED CONTACT WITH NO PADS, IT’S GREAT TO SEE FOOTBALL AGAIN. TODAY I CAUGHT UP WITH THE WILLIAMS FAMILY. CHRIS IS A CODY ASSISTANT WHO PRIMARILY FOCUSES ON THE INTERIOR LINEMEN AND IS JOINED BY HIS TWO SONS, JEFF, A FORMER BRONC FOOTBALL PLAYER WHO JUST GRADUATED AND JOHNNY WHO IS COMING OFF AN OFF-SEASON WEIGHTLIFTING INJURY WILL BE GOING INTO HIS JUNIOR SEASON. COACH WILLIAMS ON WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE BOTH HIS SONS BY HIS SIDE.
“YOU KNOW IT’S REALLY SPECIAL TO HAVE JEFF OUT HERE. EASES THE PAIN A LITTLE BIT OF HIM BEING OUTTA HERE PRETTY SOON (HEADING OFF TO COLLEGE AT MICHIGAN STATE). ITS JUST, FOOTBALL’S BEEN IMPORTANT TO US AS A FAMILY AND IT’S JUST REALLY COOL TO SEE HIM AS HE CONTINUES TO GROW INTO A MAN. JOHNNY, WE JUST FEEL BLESSED THAT JOHNNY’S OUT HERE AT ALL, AFTER THE JUNE THAT WE HAD. LIKE I SAID, FEEL REALLY FORTUNATE AND THANK GOD.”
WHILE THIS CAMP FEATURES VERY LITTLE CONTACT BETWEEN PLAYERS COACH WILLIAMS TALKS ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE FOOTBALL IN SOME CAPACITY.
“BEING OUT HERE WITH THE KIDS GIVES A SENSE OF NORMALCY. WE ARE DOING ALL THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AS BEST WE CAN. THERE’S A SPECIAL BROTHERHOOD WITH THESE KIDS AND SO THEM GETTING TO BE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN IS REALLY AN AWESOME THING TO BE A PART OF.”
WHILE HIS PLAYING DAYS ARE OVER, JEFF WILLIAMS A FORMER CODY BRONC FOOTBALL PLAYER AND RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE IS OUT HELPING THE COACHING STAFF AND TALKS ABOUT HIS MINDSET FROM A COACHING STANDPOINT.
“IT’S REALLY SPECIAL. I MEAN, I LOVE GETTING OUT HERE. IT’S DIFFERENT. IT’S A NEW PERSPECTIVE THAT I’M NOT USED TO. THERE WERE A COUPLE TIMES WHERE MY DAD, HE’LL ASK QUESTIONS, KIND OF REINFORCE IDEAS AND SCHEMES AND I’M FIGHTING ANSWERING THEM BECAUSE I’M SO USED TO THAT FOR FOUR YEARS. IT’S REALLY COOL AND REALLY SPECIAL TO BE AROUND THESE GUYS AGAIN. GET TO GROW FRIENDSHIPS WITH COACHES THAT HAVE MENTORED ME AND HAVE BEEN MORE FATHERS TO ME. IT’S JUST GREAT TO BE ABLE TO BE OUT HERE AND COACH WITH MY DAD ALSO. I’M VERY BLESSED TO BE HERE.”
ONCE JEFF KNEW HIS PLAYING DAYS WERE OVER, COACHING IS SOMETHING HE KNEW HE’D ENJOY AND WHAT BETTER PLACE TO START, THAN HERE IN CODY. JEFF ON BEING ABLE TO SHARE HIS FOOTBALL DREAMS WITH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER.
“IT’S REALLY A BLESSING AND TRULY A MIRACLE, ESPECIALLY AFTER JUNE, LIKE MY DAD SAID. IT’S AMAZING THAT HE’S EVEN OUT HERE AND IT IS JUST, IT’S A BLESSING FROM GOD AND WE’RE GRATEFUL. IT’S ANOTHER DYNAMIC AND IT’S ANOTHER SHARED EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE, THAT BRINGS US CLOSER. I MEAN, I DON’T THINK WE’VE BEEN AS CLOSE AS THIS… EVER. IT’S WONDERFUL, I’M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.”
AND JEFF BOLDLY CLAIMS THAT JOHNNY COULD BE BETTER THAN HIM SOMEDAY BUT SAYS THERE IS SOMETHING JOHNNY NEEDS TO WORK ON FIRST.
“NOT MUCH. HE’S GOING TO BE A FREAK ATHLETE. HE’LL BE BETTER THAN I WAS. SPEED, IF I HAD TO GIVE HIM ANYTHING IT’D BE SPEED,” JEFF SAYS WITH A CHUCKLE. “THAT’S ABOUT IT THOUGH.”
JOHNNY WILLIAMS WILL BE A JUNIOR AT CODY HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR AND IS COMING OFF A WEIGHTLIFTING ACCIDENT THAT REQUIRED SURGERY BACK IN JUNE. JOHNNY IS HEAD OVER HEELS TO BE ON THE GRIDIRON ONCE AGAIN.
“IT’S TRULY AMAZING. I’M OBVIOUSLY WAY OUT OF SHAPE AFTER ALL THE SITTING AROUND I’VE BEEN DOING RECOVERING. BUT IT’S JUST WONDERFUL TO GET MOVING AND BE AROUND THE GUYS AGAIN AND JUST TO BE DOING THE SPORT THAT I LOVE. IT’S JUST A BLESSING AND IT’S AMAZING TO DO.”
AND JOHNNY ADDS THE WHAT THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THIS CAMP WILL BE HEADING INTO THE REGULAR SEASON.
“SO ONE OF THE THINGS COACH MCFADDEN HAS BEEN SAYING IS YOU HAVE TO WITHSTAND THE NOISE. ALL OF THE STUFF GOING ON WITH COVID, ALL OF THAT. YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THAT AND DO THAT STUFF TO STAY HEALTHY, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THE GAME AS WELL. IT’S REALLY ABOUT, LIKE MY DAD AND BROTHER SAID, GETTING IN THAT MINDSET. THAT’S A LOT OF WHAT THIS CAMP IS ABOUT.”
STAY TUNED TO THE BIG HORN RADIO NETWORK FOR MORE ON CODY BRONC FOOTBALL. AND FOR MY ENTIRE INTERVIEW WITH COACH, JEFF AND JOHNNY VISIT OUR WEBSITE.
