Tyrus Ward building solid foundation at Brainerd [photos]

Ward using love, discipline to build up Brainerd football

Brainerd head coach Tyrus Ward looks on as his team warms up before facing off against Tyner at Brainerd High School on Friday, Oct. 20, in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Brainerd head coach Tyrus Ward looks on as his team warms up before facing off against Tyner at Brainerd High School on Friday, Oct. 20, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The most important aspect of any structure, regardless of its size or age, is its foundation. Without sturdy support on the ground level, even the most impressive external design can crumble.

When Tyrus Ward was hired last spring to redirect the downward spiral of Brainerd High School's football program, he returned to his alma mater with a very direct and hands-on approach. The intensely driven 33-year-old believes that plan will not only serve as the bedrock for the Panthers' future, but that the strategy is so deeply rooted in discipline it will extend beyond the football field and affect the surrounding neighborhood.

"We have too many kids who have been surrounded by negativity, told by outside sources and even some people within their own community that they can't achieve certain things and won't make it," said Ward, who some consider one of the state's most sought-after young coaches. "I had offers to go to bigger schools or private schools, but that's not where I felt led to coach. The same way pastors say they feel led to preach, I believe I have a calling to be an example, to be one of the young role models for the next generation, because there reaches a point when somebody has to make a stand and let our kids know that they care.

"I believe my role is to go into our community and try to help our kids, give them somebody they can actually see that cares about them and make the change from within. That's not an easy job, but it has to be done. I want to win as much as any other coach, but make no mistake, I want to do more than just that."

Brainerd travels to Region 3-3A foe McMinn Central tonight for the final game of Ward's first season as head coach. Although the Panthers won't advance to the playoffs, by all accounts - current players and assistant coaches, school administrators and even opposing coaches agree - there were significant improvements made this season within the program that should result in more on-field success in the future.

A 2002 graduate of Brainerd, Ward was a three-sport star and natural leader in high school. He was an all-state quarterback in football, an all-city point guard in basketball and an All-American in track, the sport in which he won a national title in the 400-meter hurdles and was a state champion in the 300 hurdles.

Ward began his coaching career as an assistant at Brainerd, then worked at Red Bank before returning to Brainerd for a second assistant's stint, where he was also the head coach for girls' basketball for three seasons. He left to take over as head coach for football at Nashville's Whites Creek, a program that had struggled through 27 consecutive losses before his arrival in 2015.

With Ward as coach, the Cobras snapped one of the state's longest losing streaks in their third game of his first season. He directed that team to three wins, the most by the program in five years, and word quickly spread throughout the coaching community that there was something genuinely unique about Ward's style.

Shortly after Brainerd finished 0-10 last season - getting outscored by an average of 40-10 - a coaching change was made. Ward again inherited a program that would need a complete makeover, beginning with raising the downtrodden mentality that came from suffering 12 straight losses heading into this fall.

During one of the first meetings with his coaching staff, Ward showed a video of the Twin Towers burning on 9/11. Pausing the video after several minutes, Ward spoke directly about the expectations he had for his assistants.

"When 9/11 happened, there were thousands of people running out of those buildings, getting away from the danger," Ward said. "Look, there were only a very few who were going into the building, into the danger, to help others. That's an example of what we are going to try to do.

"Some of us have to run in while so many others are running out. I'm proud to say that there's a few of us who know that our students need us. Our kids know there ain't no love in the heart of the city. Therefore, if those firefighters had an obligation to run in, we who are agents of change in our community have the same obligation to our kids."

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

It's mid-August and the late afternoon temperature is still hovering somewhere in the low 90s. Brainerd is hosting a scrimmage against neighboring Boyd-Buchanan, but the first instructions for players have little to do with on-the-field adjustments.

Standing dead-center in the Panthers' humid locker room, Ward begins counting down, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5" while alternating glances over both shoulders to make sure players are hustling to their lockers. Long before he reaches the end of his count, the room becomes silent and all eyes are focused on the tall, thin figure standing in the middle of the room.

Noticing a couple of stragglers who still aren't dressed in full pads, his voice rises, shattering the silence.

"Why are y'all not dressed and ready to go? I gave you everything you need an hour ago," Ward barks. "When you come to the locker room, nobody brings you anything. That means your mom doesn't bring Powerade or your sister doesn't brings your cleats or your girdle. You're responsible for getting yourself ready to play.

"I don't know what happened before, but it's a new day here!"

After a couple of minutes to allow everyone to get their pads on, Ward again breaks the silence.

"Three claps means you're ready," Ward says, and the room responds with three resonating claps in unison.

With 45 minutes left until the scrimmage begins, players begin lining up side by side in rows of two, then follow Ward out of the locker room. On their way toward the field they pass a wall with Ward's freshly painted motto for the season: "Welcome to the Fight!"

The scrimmage will be treated like a dress rehearsal for every aspect of game day. As the referees arrive, they all compliment the condition of the field, freshly mowed and lined.

"Wow, this looks amazing. It's the best shape I've seen this field in years," one official says to no one in particular.

Ward, who has spent two months working on the field to get it in tip-top shape, gives an appreciative smile, then begins schmoozing the officials.

"Oh dang, we got the best crew in Tennessee," Ward says as he shakes hands with each of them. "Didn't y'all call all six state title games last year?"

Ward then gets down to business, asking the officials to explain to his players any new rules they may need to know about for the season. He then notices a couple of his players walking along the sideline holding their helmets in their hands.

"Anybody with a helmet off will do 10 pushups," Ward shouts. "I need everybody to show me that you're ready at any moment if I need to put you in the game. Keep your helmets on and even when you're not on the field, stay in the game mentally. A big part of being successful in anything is just being ready for your chance."

In the early minutes of the scrimmage, the Panthers are much sharper than their opponents. But as the heat and fatigue begin to set in, there are enough mistakes made to cause Ward several moments of frustration.

"We've got a long way to go," Ward tells his team during a late water break.

Shortly after the start of the new school year, Brainerd players realize their new coach approaches classwork with the same no-nonsense dedication as he does the game. They are instructed to leave their cellphones with Ward when they arrive at school so they won't be distracted during class and are told they will not get them back until the end of the day. Each player is also instructed to sit in the first two rows of every class and put on notice that Ward himself may pop in anytime, unannounced, to make sure they're paying attention.

Only A's and B's will be accepted, and any player not maintaining those grades will meet with the same punishment - 500 yards of bear crawls or barrel rolls - as for not living up to expectations set for them on the field and away from school.

Of the 38 players on the roster, 20 are now on the school's honor roll.

"We've had to work harder, and that's made all of our grades go way up from before," said senior end Jesse Walker, an all-state post in basketball who returned to the football team after two years away specifically to play for Ward. "He's on us at all times, about how we carry ourselves in the halls, how we dress, how we speak to teachers and people older than us. He's very big on making sure we're respectful.

"You don't want to do anything wrong, because you never know when Coach Ward will stop you in the hall or show up in class and see what you're doing. He'll even just pop in at our house randomly to see what we're doing or who we're hanging out with. He's somebody that none of us want to disappoint."

Shortly after Ward took the job, he began setting up in-home visits with each of his players as a way to get to know their families and allow them to get to know him. He continued keeping close tabs on players throughout the season and even attends Brainerd-area youth league games as another way to build a strong relationship within the community.

"There's a lot more structure and kids are held accountable on and off the field for their actions," said Brainerd basketball coach Levar Brown, who, similarly sees himself as a mentor to his players and stays involved in their day-to-day life away from school and the team. "Tyrus is invested in Brainerd. He embodies everything we all want to see from the kids because he walked the same halls as a student and an athlete, and now he's an example for them of how to carry yourself as a father and a husband and a man.

"The kids in our community need more than X's and O's, and he provides that. They need someone to care. A lot of stuff he does goes unseen, but there is no doubt this is what God intended for him to do."

CLOSING THE GAP

Brainerd opens its season in late August with a home game against crosstown rival Howard. As the teams make their way to the field, with an electricity coming from a full set of stands on both sides, two Panthers take off their helmets and began looking around, marveling at the atmosphere.

"Hey, y'all get those helmets on and give me 10 pushups," Ward instructs the pair of players, who drop to the ground and serve their penance.

After a back-and-forth first half, Howard begins taking control, a scenario that would occur for much of the season before Brainerd eventually snapped its losing streak with a road win over East Nashville in the sixth game.

"That whole day was special," senior defensive back Joseph Norwood said of the victory. "We rode on a charter bus and left early so we could spend the day in Nashville. We went to Centennial Park and got treated like a college team. That was awesome.

"The drive home was actually pretty quiet. We had been working hard for that first win and finally got rewarded. I wish I had at least another year to play for Coach Ward, because I think he's going to have this team winning a lot of games and I wish I could be a part of it."

Besides leading the Panthers to their first win in nearly three seasons, there were other less obvious signs Ward's plan will become the foundation for turning the program around. There was a narrow three-point loss at East Ridge, and Brainerd led 2016 region champion Red Bank going into the fourth quarter this month before the Lions' conditioning took over. The margin of losses has shrunk to an average of 13 points, cutting last year's differential by more than half.

"There was a noticeable difference in the discipline and how hard they play now," said East Ridge's Tim James, a veteran head coach. "They've got a solid scheme, and you could definitely tell that he has a real influence on those kids.

"I've always believed that the football team can set the tone for the whole school year because athletes are typically leaders in the hallways. That makes Tyrus invaluable at Brainerd, because he is the type leader that you want kids to follow."

Nine weeks after the season kicked off, Ward has maintained the same positive energy at practice and during games, and his demand for discipline has not wavered.

Shortly after a recent practice, as players rested on one knee near midfield, each senior stood and explained what he had learned through the season, ending their heartfelt speeches by encouraging the younger players to continue working as hard as their coaches demand.

Afterward, the team gathered in the school cafeteria for supper. Seated alone at a corner table, Ward leaned forward to rest on his elbows.

"Honestly, this season has been tougher than I thought it would be," he said matter-of-factly. "They all have the desire to win; they just don't have the know-how because winning takes hard work and dedication, and that's new for a lot of them. We're tough on them, we demand a lot and one thing I've learned is that sometimes the kids that need love the most are usually the ones that deserve it the least.

"Every kid here is battling. Whether it's things at home or being surrounded with negativity, football is the only thing that saves some of them. It's a constant reminder that we as coaches have to be there for them, to be involved in their lives every day.

"These kids are like every other kid - they have dreams, aspirations and goals. Their funds may be less, but they're the same. Their crowd may be different, but deep down they just want somebody to show them that they matter, that they care. That's our job, and it doesn't end when football is over."

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.

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