"I hope Menard knows how much time and prayer went into this decision." Oliver is out after ushering Menard into the six-man world.
'I hope Menard knows how much time and prayer went into this decision'
Bryson Oliver came to Menard in the spring of 2022. Out of the modest sea of applicants, Oliver was the pick to usher Menard into a new era of six-man (Class A) football. After just 2 seasons, Oliver is now ushering himself to Roscoe High School/ Highland ISD.
Menard High School has sustained Class A enrollment numbers for decades (approximately 105 students or fewer in the high school), but the desire to step away from 2A 11-man football didn’t gain much ground until after a brutal losing season in 2021. After much research and community input, the school board voted to make the transition to play six-man football beginning with the 2021 season, and Oliver was hired. Long story short, he came, he taught the game, he did ok.
Oliver arrived at the Yellowjacket Nation fresh from working in Gordon under his mentor—and his own high school coach— with an impressive player and coaching resume many thought to be ideal to start his own legacy program in Menard from the ground up. Athletes, students, and the Menard community bought into Oliver’s enthusiastic plan to lay the groundwork for a culture of excellence in not just football, but across the board. Things seemed to go well until Oliver unexpectedly turned in his resignation on Tuesday after holding a youth football clinic. Later that afternoon Big Country Blitz reported on their Facebook page that Highland (near Roscoe, TX) had hired Oliver as the new head football coach and athletic director. That announcement, and Menard High School’s own post seeking a head coach/ AD and teaching position came as a surprise to many.
After two years of firing on all cylinders in Menard, Oliver got a call from Highland ISD. “Coach Oliver's departure was a surprise,” said high school principal Jacob Hand. “When you're doing good things, people call— we understand that.” Hand said Oliver was offered benefits that MISD couldn't quite match. He reports that Menard administration attempted to incentivize the head coach to stay as much as possible but in the end, Hand says, Oliver felt he needed to take that opportunity. “We are grateful that he was here to help us transition into six-man world as smooth as possible,” concluded Principal Hand. For his part, Coach Oliver tells The News this was one of the toughest decisions he’s had to make in a long time. “This wasn’t planned, and not something I was seeking out, I had no plans on leaving Menard,” said Oliver. He continued “But, I was approached with a very rare opportunity that the administration at Highland and the good Lord both blessed me with.” Oliver said his decision to move from Menard was made following some unexpected personal/family transitions and solely on being able to support his family and take care of them.
In addition to benefiting his immediate family, the new position is closer to home for Oliver and allows him to be a part of his siblings’ lives more often. Another perk of the move will be his newfound ability to watch his nieces and nephews grow up.
“This community holds such a special place in my heart and has been one of the most amazing chapters in my life. This decision came with a lot of tears from a lot of people, including myself, which I think shows the bond I’ve created with this community and the people within it,” Oliver told us. “I hope Menard knows how much time and prayer went into this decision, and how much I’ll miss this entire town and all the memories we made together.”
Superintendent of schools Amy Bannowsky addressed the matter by acknowledging Oliver did indeed initiate a great six-man program. “I know that our staff, students, and community will find nothing but success with our next chapter. We are working to find the next great fit for programs at Menard ISD.”
Despite the change being sudden and inconveniently late in the year, the school administration is moving forward and has several qualified applications already in-hand. Additional applications for the head coach/AD position are expected to be officially submitted this week. “Along with our coaching staff, our students and community have been amazing in building this program. While he [Oliver] will be missed, our athletic program will continue to grow thanks to our coaches, students, and community,” said Bannowsky.
“This community took a chance on a young guy to bring them in to the six-man world and completely invested in me and my message. I hope that’s not something either party will ever regret, because I’m beyond thankful and beyond blessed with my two years spent here. I’ll forever be one of Menard’s biggest fans,” concluded Oliver.
The leader of the next chapter of Menard athletics is undetermined; however, the overall potential of our youth continues to increase daily—the hive is buzzing!