Sherrill: Coach Emory Bellard ... a man of grace

On Saturday, February 19, 2011 many people gathered from near and far at the First Baptist Church in Georgetown, Texas to celebrate the life of Coach Emory Bellard. 

And celebrate they did! With twelve speakers, including former players, former coaches and friends who shared stories on how Coach Bellard had impacted, motivated, and changed their lives. 

Mine started approximately seven months ago when it became public that Coach Bellard had the dreaded disease, ALS. Members of the 12thMKOT® Foundation suggested that we honor Coach Bellard at the annual 12thMKOT® Foundation Scholarship Banquet. It started by a phone call and then continued with visits, asking for permission to do certain things at the banquet along with the former players, coaches and friends he wanted in attendance to speak.

It soon turned into a major project. It wasn’t just a banquet to honor Coach Bellard, but through Dr. Tramonte (his doctor in round Round Rock, who is an Aggie) and Scott & White Hospital to use funds from the banquet, they started the Scott & White Emory Bellard ALS Clinic in Round Rock. During all of the meetings it took to finalize different things for this project, he continually showed his character, class, dignity, humility and grace. He would always say, “Thank you. You do not know how much I appreciate what you and the 12thKMOT® Foundation are doing for me.”

It did not take me long to understand that Coach Bellard was not only a good man ... he was a great man of gratitude and class. And it became a joy to put the project together with the help of others and many that were not Aggies, but somehow and some way they had been touched by Coach Bellard along the way.

Coach Bellard was so excited to attend the banquet on Nov. 19th, because he was going to get to see many of his former players he had not seen in a long time along with former coaches, friends and admirers as well. Over 600 hundred people attended the banquet, coming from all over including his coaching days at Breckenridge, San Angelo, University of Texas, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Westfield High School. And what a night! At the end, there was not a dry eye in the house. All that attended came away with a better feeling of having the pleasure to have been with Coach Bellard that night and knowing that they had a part in helping him have a very comfortable last few months of his life. They also were an integral part of helping to fund the start of the Emory Bellard ALS Clinic that will help many people for years to come.

Coach Bellard and I became very close during this time and he shared a lot of things with me. Each and every time, he always said, “You do not know how much I appreciate what you have done and are doing for me.” It was like someone else was in charge of the last three months because Coach Bellard got to see many of his former players, former coaches and friends just because some of the members of the 12th Man Kick-Off Team suggested for us to honor him at our scholarship banquet.

On Nov. 20th, Coach Bellard got to stand on Kyle Field one last time to be the honorary captain for the Nebraska Game. He received a standing ovation from everyone, even the Nebraska fans, and that was one of only two times I ever saw Coach cry. For he knew it was his last time to get to stand on Kyle Field.

On Dec. 20th, Coach Bellard got to see the start the Emory Bellard ALS Clinic at Scott & White in Round Rock, affiliated with Texas A&M Medical School. He was in great spirits and overjoyed by those that came.

Just before New Year’s, Coach Bellard went to live at The Tiffin House, a fully assisted home, owned and operated by Justin Trodahl ’97, where he had nurses 24/7. The night that he passed, Justin read him “The Last Corps Trip.” And proudly, Coach was wearing his Aggie warm up suit when he passed away.

This past Saturday, hundreds gathered to celebrate the life of Coach Bellard. Here are a few quotes from the speakers:

• Coach Spike Dykes, coached with Emory twice: “We are all better people for knowing Coach Bellard.”

• Buster Creigh, a PGA golf professional, who coached with Emory in San Angelo:"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others can’t keep it to themselves."?

• David Barron, Houston Chronicle sportswriter gave us a quote that Emory would use often: "I am who I am today because of those I surround myself with."?

• Coach RC Slocum said that he was a coach not only who the players could trust, but also who their parents could trust: "He was going to do the right thing. Coach would say, 'We're going to treat our players with respect. We will recruit our players by using the positives of Texas A&M and never the negatives of opposing teams.'"?

• Ed Simonini '76 led the Aggies in tackles for three straight years and played seven years with the Colts & Saints: "Coach Bellard used to always say, 'Never lose your humor.' Back then, during practice, we’d run around the track and somehow I think I actually tripped myself and Coach came running over and looked down at me and started to try and put my elbow back into place, which by the way, it was not going back. He looked down at me and said, 'Darn it, you'll do anything to get out of running around the track.'"?

• Randy Stout, a member of ’69 University of Texas National Championship team and ’66 San Angelo HS State 4A Championship team: "I was going to A&M. I had already told Coach Stallings I'd be there, but when I was sitting on the hill with Coach Bellard and he said, 'I want you to go with me to Texas.' That's all he had to say … I was there. 21 of our 32 San Angelo high school state championship guys had scholarships somewhere. That was a testament to Coach, not us players."?

• Ted Koy, member of '69 University of Texas National Championship team who played five years with Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills: "It was about the standards that Coach Bellard set for his players. I was very blessed to be able to play for him."?

• Skip Walker '76, who was drafted by Oilers and played with the Canadian Football League talked about how Coach Bellard taught him about respect, but it was more about how Coach showed him respect: “What an example of humility and love … the faith he had in me, a nobody. Thank you, Coach."?

• James Street, member of the ’69 University of Texas National Championship team: "It didn't matter if you were the #1 or #5 player [at a position] … he cared about you. He was a teacher and the best caring teacher ever. Coach was a unique man, who truly cared about everyone. He would tell me before every game, 'Play every play like it's a big play and the rest will take care of itself.'"?

• Bubba Bean '76, NFL 1st round pick for Atlanta Falcons asked that the next time you are with someone who has been touched by Emory Bellard, "Lift your glass and make a toast to the man who has left a lasting legacy."

Yes, it was a higher power that guided Coach Bellard through his last stages of battling ALS, and thankfully many of you made it possible for him to be as comfortable as he could be during that battle. Emory Bellard faced this dreaded disease with grace and dignity. It has been an honor to get to know him and call him my friend.