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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Brazoria County lost a beloved resident and a |
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respected mentor to many with the passing of L. Z. Bryan of Lake |
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Jackson on July 27, 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, Known simply as "Coach" by players, friends, and |
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family alike, L. Z. Bryan spent his life training, inspiring, and |
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leading high school athletes; and |
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WHEREAS, A 1946 graduate of Milby High School in Houston, |
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L. Z. Bryan played football at the University of Houston and was |
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named to the 1949 All-Gulf Coast Conference Team; he began his |
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coaching career at Galena Park High School, where he served for five |
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years before joining the Brazosport Independent School District; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Bryan spent 12 seasons at Brazosport High |
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School, eventually leaving to become the first football coach at |
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Brazoswood High School in 1969; during his tenure at Brazoswood, he |
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compiled a record of 150-40-4, led nine teams to the state playoffs, |
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and captured the 1974 state 4A football championship; after 18 |
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years in the post, he was appointed the district's athletic |
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director; and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Bryan's football teams were regarded across |
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the state as tough competitors who were well disciplined and |
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trained; invoking his memory, the 2009 Brazoswood team carried |
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forward the legacy of this remarkable man as players raced onto |
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fields carrying a flag emblazoned with "LZ" and donned helmets with |
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the same; and |
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WHEREAS, In his many football stories, Coach Bryan always |
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emphasized the players more than the outcome of the game; he |
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remembered his athletes long after they were grown and took great |
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pride in their achievements; following his retirement in 1990, he |
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continued his efforts to mold young men into good citizens through |
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his support of the L. Z. Bryan/Flash Walker golf tournament, which |
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raises money for college scholarships; and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Bryan was well respected by his peers, who |
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chose him as district coach of the year seven times and elected him |
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president of the Texas High School Coaches Association; moreover, |
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he was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor in |
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1990 and the Houston Football Coaches Association Hall of Honor in |
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2006; the local community recognized his contributions in 2004 with |
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the dedication of the field house at Hopper Field in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Though it is impossible to gauge the full effect of |
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one man's life, some individuals leave their unmistakable mark on |
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the world as they move through it, and L. Z. Bryan had an enduring |
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influence not only on his players, fellow coaches, family, and |
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friends, but on the entire Brazosport community; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature pay tribute to the memory of Coach L. Z. Bryan and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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Helen Laura Bryan; to his children, Barbara Anders and her husband, |
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Pinky, Nancy Gilbert and her husband, John, and Larry Bryan and his |
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wife, Cheryl; to his grandchildren, Robin Lapier and her husband, |
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Jimmie, Holly Ross, Bryan Gilbert and his wife, Julie, Brad Gilbert |
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and his wife, Ashley, Justin Gilbert and his wife, Courtney, Austin |
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Gilbert, Travis Bryan and his wife, Morgan, Tyler Bryan, Andrew |
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Smith, and Mathew Smith; to his great-grandchildren, Scott and |
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Blake Lapier, Chase Ross, Walker, Braden, Grant, and Justin |
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Gilbert; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Coach L. Z. |
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Bryan. |