WHS will always have my heart

In May of 2003, former Whitefish High School athletic director Megan Olson called to welcome me to the coaching staff, wishing me the best of luck with my first season as head coach. I hung up the phone absolutely humbled and honored with the opportunity to coach Bulldog soccer.

Fast-forward almost 13 years, and I am overwhelmed with those same feelings.  

I want to thank the Whitefish School District and administration for giving me the opportunity to do what I love to do and for providing the program with the relentless support I needed day in and day out. A big thank you to coach Jackie Fuller for being a coaching role model that I still idolize and call on from time to time for advice. You are the best in the business.

Thanks to the Whitefish community and student body for all of the support and energy you poured out on our teams over the years — you made us feel loved and important.

I want to thank all the parents of our young men throughout the years. I have never forgotten you, even though your sons have left the team and graduated long ago. I am blessed to call you my friends to this day.

I also want to thank the coaches I have had the true privilege of coaching alongside: Sean P, Mark, Julz, Kevin, Tyler N, Tyler S., Chris, Grinny, Nathaan, Rory, Ryan O, my brother Brenden, and Roland. I would especially like to thank and give a great deal of credit to Ryan Billiet, who coached our JV program for nine years and for whom I have great admiration.

Last but certainly not least, I want to thank the players as they are the very reason I coach.

384 players and 168 soccer games are a large sum of numbers that bring back incredible memories. The memories are abundant, but the relationships I have with my players far outweighs the value of any trophy or statistic.

Thanks so very much to all my boys that I watched become young men. You taught me more about myself than you will ever really know. You hold me accountable to something you taught me a long time ago. You win and succeed with people. Being a leader is NOT about power and authority, it is about influence. You taught me that. I will forever love you and will never forget you.

WHS will always have my heart and I thank you for helping me become the man I am today.  This is not a goodbye. This is a thank you.

— O’Brien Byrd is former coach of the Whitefish boys soccer team