Generous donations and time dedication have been major contributions to the Guthrie Football program over the years, and it continues to make its way through the Junior High program.
Brad Davenport and Guthrie coaches begin work on the 7th grade locker room Thursday morning.
Faver Alternative principal Pat Hughes had a great suggestion to head football coach Rafe Watkins. Let’s use the empty annex building on the grounds for the junior high football program. However, the Junior Jays Building of Champions plans still needed some assistance.
The program then received donations from Barry Anderson with Farmers and Merchants Bank, Keith Ventris with Oklahoma State Bank, and Laverne Dowding with BancFirst to help assist the project.
“We would really like to thank the banks for their generosity and continued support that they have given us over the years,” Watkins said.
The Junior Jays Building of Champions is just north of the junior high practice field, on the Faver Alternative School grounds, on Perkins road.
Soon this room will be transformed into the coaches office for Junior High football.
In addition to the fund donations, Brad Davenport, a local carpenter, is dedicating his time to help construct the inside projects. These projects include lockers and benches for the student athletes.
“Brad has been a huge asset in this project and we certainly do appreciate his expertise and help,” 8th grade head coach Jeff Ball said.
Watkins, Ball, and other coaches, Jason Rice, Bryan Couch, Casey Porter, and Seth Morgan, have donated their time and efforts with the project and construction.
The four room building will allow for a 7th grade locker room, an 8th grade locker room, a film room, and a coaches room. The former school building also includes bathrooms and storage space for all the players, coaches, and trainers.
“We only had 20 lockers (at the junior high) that worked, so the kids would just pile their equipment on the floor each day before school and after school. They would get dressed at the junior high and then we would bus them over to the practice field,” Ball said. “Now we can bus them over so they can get dressed at the new facilities. It will also help keep their equipment in one place.”
Future locker room of the 8th grade football team.
The Junior Jays Building of Champions building will be decorated on the inside with the Guthrie logo “G” and other signs throughout the building thanks to Ryan Codding. Codding is the President of the Central Oklahoma Little League Football association.
The donations do not stop there as the Tyler Nichols Heart of a Champion Foundation, headed by Phil Nichols, is donating a projector to the program for the use of watching game film.
“Overall, it is going be a great attribute to our program and I am pleased to have so many generous people who have helped us with this building.” Ball said.
