UNIFIED BANK 146987 6 X 9.75 LIVING LEGENDS the TIMES LEADER - Friday, July 27, 2018 - B3
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6XSSOHPHQWWR7KH7LPHV/HDGHUt)ULGD\-XO\ 9LHZYLGHRWULEXWHVWR&RDFK%UXQH\DW7LPHVOHDGHURQOLQHFRP MTF0040282 UNIFIED BANK 146987 6 x 9.75 LIVING LEGENDS THE TIMES LEADER - Friday, July 27, 2018 - B3 By RICK THORP Bruney returned to the Ohio Valley, Bruney,Times Leader Sports Writer Ferry will always be synonymousaccepted his first head coaching job at Bridgeport. MARTINS FERRY — When Dave “We had great coaches and great senior Bruney announced his retirement as Mar- DAVE class,” Bruney recalled of his time in tins Ferry’s head football coach in May, he BRUNEY Brookside. The Bulldogs finished 9-1 in did so at the facility that bears his name — looks on dur- 1978 and posted victories against Ty The Dave Bruney Football Complex. ing a game a Fleming’s St. John outfit and yes, his alma Having a facility named after you, in few seasons mater. itself, is an honor. But what really touched ago. When the “It was bittersweet,” Bruney said of Bruney was what took place in the min- Purple Riders defeating the Purple Riders. “My cousin utes, hours and days after he stood on the open the sea- Bob and I had coached all of those kids turf there with his family at his side. before I left. Bridgeport had a great senior Bruney, who retired after 39 seasons, son, it’ll be the first time since class and Martins Ferry had a great junior heard from a plethora of former players, class.” coaches and friends, who offered congrat- 1979 that Bruney isn’t When Bruney accepted the head job at ulations on his career, which is legendary, Martins Ferry a year later, he led the Pur- not in the Ohio Valley, but across the state. the head coach. He ple Riders past the Bulldogs, 18-6, part of “They talked about the impact they a 10-0 campaign. Bruney started his head think we had on their lives,” Bruney said retired in May, but his pre- coaching career 19-1. Piece of cake, right? recently during a sitdown at his home. Not exactly. Although Bruney believed senve will Bruney said “we.” During most of the he had a pretty good plan in place. conversation, he spoke more about assis- always be felt “We always felt like we had to play tants than himself. For him, his journey because of great defense and we had to run the foot- has been one of togetherness and integrat- the impact ball,” he said. “If you do that consistently, ing many factors that have produced a and success you develop an identity and your kids solid resume. he had. develop an identity and the community’s “Life skills, integrity, character, work identity is developed into that.” ethic ... everything that goes into making a Martins Ferry went 4-6 in 1980 before person a successful person,” Bruney said Photo/JOE LOVELL posting seven and eight victories in the when asked about what defines success. Bruney led the Purple Riders to 275 of next two campaigns, respectively. the program’s 700 victories, the last of pride. notably with Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay “People think you have this magic which came at Bellaire’s Nelson Field last “I’ve been lucky to have been around and Mike Shanahan in Denver. wand,” he said. “It varies from year to fall. guys where all I really had to do was pay “We had six guys in my senior class that year.I think the kids will give you every- Consistency was a hallmark of Bruney’s attention and be mindful of how those played major college football and three thing if they know how much you care. squad. Since 1990, Martins Ferry pro- guys conducted themselves. That ties into juniors that did,” Bruney said. “We That part of it has been very good to us duced just one sub .500 squad. And, along the tradition here at Martins Ferry. weren’t very good, but it was because we over the years. I never treated anyone dif- the way, the Purple Riders qualified for “The tradition was part of our culture changed coaches three years in a row.” ferent than my own two boys (Zac and postseason play in 14 of his final 20 sea- and our family and our community.” Bruney vowed, that if he ever became a Trevor) and I was awfully hard on them, sons. While Bruney’s coaching days were head coach, he’d do his best to bring sta- maybe to a fault.” “The kids’ expectations were always filled with victories, his playing days bility. Bruney’s legacy lives on in those he high,” Bruney said, “and we had kids that weren’t. During Bruney’s final three sea- “I had in my mind that if I ever had an mentored. And while he shied away a bit were willing to work as hard as they could sons — 1966-68 — Martins Ferry won opportunity to eventually come back and from saying he has a “coaching tree,” to maximize their potential. To me, we’d two games, both coming in 1968, a season coach here we were going to give some there’s no question there’s many coaches already won by doing that. in which Bruney was a captain. consistency to the program. I think we did in the area who’ve benefited from being on “Even if you don’t win a game, maxi- “We had three different coaches in those that. We had great support as far as (the a Bruney staff. mizing your potential and playing together three years — Carl Mamone, Pete Barren administrators) allowing us to bring guys “When you hire guys, you hope they as a group and putting your teammates and Larry Coyer — and they were all pret- in that were good coaches, good men and aspire to be as good a coach as they can first is the essence of high school sports, in ty good.” good role models.” be,” he said. “Those are usually the guys general, not just football.” Bruney had praise for all of them. After playing at Ohio University, who have aspirations of being a head The name Bruney, in itself, exudes Mar- “I can remember just how he carried Bruney returned to the OV and cut his coach and want to learn and learn how to tins Ferry football. Coach was 8 when he himself,” Bruney said of Barren “He had coaching teeth at Buckeye North in 1973. teach the game.” attended his first Martins Ferry-Bellaire an assistant that played at Clemson, Bill In 1974, he made his way back to his As he steps away, Bruney said he’ll game and from then on he was steeped in Miller, and those two guys just carried alma mater as an assistant for his cousin, cherish the relationships he developed with the Purple Rider tradition. themselves in a way that when you looked Bob. his players the most. Family members up and down his tree at them you thought ‘I just wanna be like Early in 1977, Bruney accepted a grad- “I think the longer you go, the more you have some place in Purple Riders lore, and those guys.’ I never wanted to disappoint uate assistant position at Marshall. It was enjoy watching the players develop,” he when “Coach Dave” put on the jersey for those guys.” about that time that he and his wife, said. “It’s really gratifying when you the first time in the mid 1960s he joined Coyer, after two seasons at Ferry, went Cheryl, started dating. watch a kid with below-average to average an illustrious list of men who did so with on to a successful college and pro career, Following a season in Huntington, ability maximize his potential.” LIVING LEGENDS THE TIMES LEADER - Friday, July 27, 2018 - B4 By BUBBA KAPRAL a 9-2 finish, losing to Photo Provided was the standard bearer for opportunity to play for him. BruneyExecutive Sports Editor Doylestown brothers Chippewa in lovedPICTURED playing ARE all that throughout for his A lot of Dad people don’t real- the playoffs. Zac (8) and entire career. ize that from the time I MARTINSFERRY- Zac went on to author a Trevor (9) “I think the best part was could walk, I spent every Often times a head football sparkling career at Mount Bruney in their that you got to experience day I could at the field with coach also serves as a role Union, where he quarter- Mount Union your high school career him, my brother, the play- model to his players. backed the Purple Raiders uniforms. Both with one of the two people ers, coaches, etc.,” Trevor For brothers Zac and to a 27-1 record as a starter Bruneys won that loved you the most (he said. “I literally grew up at Trevor Bruney such a and was a finalist for the national title and my mom). Football is the football field. Going to notion really hit home...lit- Gagliardi Award as the rings for the Pur- so engrained in the commu- the field four times a day to erally. Most Outstanding Player in nity, so engrained in the help him move and run the The two former Martins Division III. He was a ple Raiders, but area and means a lot to so sprinklers on the old grass Ferry grid stars played for a member of two national it was their time many people. You always before turf was even a coaching legend - their dad, championship teams. playing under wanted to wear the Purple thought; Playing hide and Dave. For some, such an Trevor, meanwhile, was their dad, Dave, and White and strap up Fri- seek (obviously trying our arrangement may prove a dynamic running back.