When Coach Faye O'Dell retired from coaching high school football, he didn’t stop there. For the next 10 years, he coached 7th grade football-because he knew this is where you capture the heart of a young man, which will influence and affect the man, and therefore a nation!

The principles that shaped and formed the man, Faye O'Dell were many. He lost his father at a young age and entered the world of Golden Glove boxing soon after. As a young high schooler, football-baseball-basketball and track continued his growth. Being an All American high school athlete at Springdale Arkansas earned him a spot with the Arkansas Razorbacks in the fall of 1942.

WWII had begun and just as his fall football period ended, he caught a train to San Diego and became a United States Marine following in the footsteps of his WWI Veteran father and his heroes. A young Faye entered the Pacific arena of the war fighting in the battles of Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa, working his way up to Sargeant. His Marine 2nd Division unit were the first to land at Nagasaki after the second bomb, and Japan had surrendered.

His time in the USMC earned him many medals including the Bronze and Silver stars, purple hearts, and the right to wear the Combat V for Valor.

Upon his return, he attended Central State College with a full scholarship ride and continued with his gifted athletic abilities, and also the Golden Gloves. This is where he met the love of his life, Mary Alice Crews. They eloped just as he was called up for Korea. They spent the first two years of their marriage crisscrossing the nation with the USMC.

After Korea, Coach began a successful career coaching in Oklahoma, CushingCleveland-Drumright-and Perry. A young Faye had been asked to speak to a group of high school athletes when he was just a young high school athlete himself. As a young man, he overcame a speech impediment to become a successful orator. During his Oklahoma coaching career, he began a journey of motivational speaking engagements that sent him to every state, speaking at governor conferences, President’s chapel, NFL chapels, University chapels, graduations, sports banquets and many more.

Though he lived a storied life with greatness, he never lost his humility. He remained simply Coach to everyone. He said his greatest achievement was being a husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, and to have coached and taught an incredible group of young people.

He is remembered as Coach by his children and grandchildren, and Great Coach by his great grandchildren, which no doubt, makes him chuckle from heaven. Coach passed away after a fight with Parkinson’s in 2008, his beautiful wife preceded him in 2005. His legacy lives on! Oklahoma City surgeon, Marvin Peyton called him “the essence of leadership and the most revered person.” Chuck Bowman, retired OK FCA director called Faye a “special man and the most gifted speaker he used during his leadership days with FCA.”

His legacy is his family and many athletes and students who carry on his ways. This is what he would want for every aspiring coach!