Coweta Dedicates New Field House To Late NFL Player

The Coweta school superintendent scheduled four groundbreakings Tuesday, all made possible because of this year's school bond election.

A new elementary school and lots of new facilities at the high school were on the list, but one of the groundbreakings provided a Coweta family with a moment to remember.

Among the ground breakings was one for the new Ricky Bryan Field House at the high school. Some of Ricky's family was there for the groundbreaking.

Sooner football fans will remember Ricky as a two time all American at OU in 1982 and '83. He was the number nine overall pick in the following year's NFL draft, and he played ten seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.

Ricky died in 2009 at the age of 47.

His brother Steve said naming the new field house after his late brother is pretty special.

"It's well deserved. He put in a lot of time with the youth football. Ricky, he cared for young people in general," Steve said.

That's what people remember about Ricky most, he always seemed to have time to work with kids; and putting his name on the new field house seems only natural.

It'll be a 15,000 square foot facility including locker rooms, weight room and coaches offices.

Ricky's son Michael was only six when his dad retired from the NFL, so most of his memories of his dad are of life around Coweta, and putting his dad's name on the new field house will give his kids something to live up to.

They hope to have the new Ricky Bryan Field House finished in a year.