Catching up with...

By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com

It is without question one of the slowest sports weeks of the year. With most sports in the offseason and MLB having its all-star break, not too much going on.

That’s why we’re having a week long ‘remember when’ series by catching with some stars of yesteryear. Scott Wright and myself were assigned the high school aspect of things, and you can find those all on the Varsity main page.

For the four people I talked to, I had plenty more left over. It was a great experience just to talk to some of them and see how things are going.

Dewell Brewer, Lawton: Brewer is livin’ it up as the running backs coach for the Wolverines. He said he’s not living vicariously through these kids, but ‘it’s great to be a part of something and see these kids reach their potential.’

Brewer has two degrees from Oklahoma and is taking classes to earn his teacher’s certificate. Right now he teaches special education at Lawton, but he wants to get the certificate so he can teach in the district.

A father of three with one more on the way, he knows he’s a lot more mature now and is ready for the challenge of raising another son.

He said the biggest difference between today’s players and his group is speed and athleticism. ‘There are just a lot more kids with those kind of gifts. It used to be you had one or two kids with that talent, not anymore.’

Winning state still stands out to him, and he still keeps in touch with Will Shields from that Lawton squad that won state in 1987.

Liz Brown, Roff: She still remembers losing to Lomega in the championship game and the ovation the State Fair crowd gave her. It was funny hearing her thoughts about all the media attention, saying the town loved the publicity probably more than she did.

She stays pretty active, teaching PE at Fort Gibson. And a Google search sees her name appear in a lot of 5K runs and things like that. In fact, the first time I called the house she was out running.

She couldn’t rave enough about her girls. That’s her life now, and she loves it. She married Derald Glover, the superintendent at Fort Gibson, and the couple has three girls.