Limitless Possibilities

BY TINA V. BRYSON

If you think of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson or WWE when someone mentions wrestling, spend some time with Coach JR Bryant, who is working to promote the sport in Floyd County. His passion is ensuring boys and girls have an opportunity to learn to be wrestlers in a safe, supportive atmosphere — and he’s found that in a partnership with Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Foley Community Center and a willingness to think outside the box.

“Even though we are late in the season, we’re still inviting people to give it a try, to understand more about it,” said Coach Bryant, who has been coaching the Prestonsburg Black Cats for seven years. “A lot of kids and parents have no idea of the work that goes into it, how hard it is, and what it can offer athletically and holistically. It is positive and worthwhile.”

When Floyd Central needed a wrestling coach, Coach Bryant found himself leading the effort to bring wrestlers together from Floyd Central High School and Prestonsburg High School. This is the first year the school has offered wrestling. The school board embraced the opportunity, and the Foley Community Center provided the needed space to bring more than 80 students together in a safe place.

“We’re trying to promote women’s wrestling more. It’s a relatively new sport in Kentucky, but it’s growing fast,” Coach Bryant said. “The hope is to teach all of the students self-reliance and self-respect through hard work and training. Without the community center, I don’t know how possible this could have been.”

The program has a high school component as well as a youth component. Scott Johnson now leads the Floyd Central Jaguars, while Charlie Johnson oversees the K-8 youth division. They had more than 20 varsity wrestlers as well as the other athletes who needed enough space to train and have access to a huge amount of equipment.

Bryant’s wife, Kelli, coordinates activities at the community center, and she is glad to see the facility draw the community together.

“Strategic partnerships are extremely important to the mission of the Foley Community Center. We want to serve as a safe space to gather and explore the similarities that make us a community,” she said. “The past few years have been very taxing on a lot of people. Many people have felt isolated and alone. The center is a place where people can come together.”

According to Coach Bryant, that is exactly what happened. Although the county has three high schools and multiple elementary and middle schools, this joint program has brought them together.

“Floyd County can sometimes feel divided, but now these two high schools practice together every single day. That makes a difference,” Coach Bryant said. “You have people from tip to tip of the county, some people separated by an hour apart. Now, the parents and the students have developed relationships to cheer each other on. It has really been a unifying experience.”

Foley Community Center has also hosted several other events, such as youth pageants and baby and wedding showers, as well as being a point of contact with both FEMA and MARC for people impacted during the floods.

“I envision this community center being used by small businesses that need a place to host a meeting to grow and expand, or to be used by a book club or sewing circle to reignite the connection they had before COVID,” Bryant added. “It would be a great place to meet for a weekly pickup basketball game with the same group of friends that have been together since high school. The possibilities of this center are limitless.”