Legend. Hall of Famer. The greatest ever.
That’s how the late-great Bud Billiard always will be remembered when it comes to the football program at Brooke High School, and Bruins new head coach Frank Sisinni plans to remind his players, their parents, and the community of Billiard’s positive impact as he prepares for his first season at the helm.
Billiard won three Class AAA state titles (1985, 87, 90) while compiling a 185-79-1 record over 21 seasons. He was an OVAC and West Liberty Hall of Famer who then worked diligently to establish the Brooke County Veterans Memorial at Brooke Hills Park. Billiard passed away in early January 2021 at 79 years old, but Sisinni plans to bring back a little of that “Budro” magic.
Following 12 seasons – the final five as head coach – at Weir High, Sisinni was hired in January to take over as the Bruins head coach, the program’s third in three years. Sisinni was a state champion (1987) under Billiard before he was graduated in 1990.
“A large part of what I do as a coach is fashioned after how I was coached by Bud Billiard, and that’s because I admired it, but also because the majority of coaches are using things they’ve learned from other people,” Sisinni explained. “A coach also learned what not to do from other coaches because that’s how this works. You have to see what works and what doesn’t.
“As far as Coach Billiard, that man was ahead of his time back in the 1980s,” he said. “It was all about how he approached the game, and I saw that when I was a kid in his football program, and I benefited from it then and still today.”
It’s about more than trick plays, creative conditioning, and weight room criteria, though.
“You know, I catch myself looking at things the way Coach Billiard used to, and listen, I have worked with some really great coaches during my 25 years in coaching. But realizing how Coach Billiard influenced me is non-stop, and I’ve thought about it more and more now that I am back to being a Brooke Bruin,” Sisinni said. “I can hear him say things from time to time, and it’s always about Brooke football and Brooke pride.
“Of course, our number one priority will be to be successful on the field, and we’re going to bring back a lot of pride back to the football program, too,” the head coach said. “We want everyone wearing the green and gold again because this is bigger than the X’s and O’s. We want that Bruin pride to spread through our community because we’re representing them the way they want to be represented.”
Growing Up in Gold & Green
Superintendent Dr. Jeff Crook is in his sixth year with Brooke County Schools, and he’s even one of the football game broadcasters on The River Network each Fall.
That means, of course, Crook is aware of the school’s rich history in athletic success.
“I know our kids get great community support, and it’s obvious that everyone wants to see our teams be successful,” he said. “Brooke County is a special place with special people, and I know how important our school and our kids are to them. When our sports teams win, our community celebrates the victory and the kids, and it’s a great thing to see.
“Frank is determined to bring that pride back to the Brooke community and I can’t wait to watch it all come true,” Sisinni said. “I know a lot of people are very excited about Frank coming back to Brooke County.”
Sisinni remembers the history – Brooke High is the consolidated creation from Bethany, Follansbee, and Wellsburg high schools that became a reality in 1969, and the school colors – gold and green – were models after the Green Bay Packers, and the Bruin nickname was adopted because of the success of UCLA at the time.
The new head coach also recalls how Billiard’s team presented themselves before and after battle on the gridiron.
“One tradition Coach Billiard brought to Brooke High was the young men wore their blazers and their ties, and that’s coming back to the Brooke football program. It has nothing to do with the wins and the losses, but it does have to do with our players learning how to be young men,” Sisinni said. “That’s something that maybe they’re not getting at home for whatever reasons, so they will learn those things with us.
“Our players will learn how to go about their business, and how to be a good man,” he explained. “That’s because playing athletics is about more than athletics.”
Make no mistake, Sisinni’s plans include winning titles and hoisting trophies like he did as a Brooke Bruin, but he also understands his role extends beyond the end zones and sidelines.
“It’s about teamwork and it’s about learning how to be a great teammate. This is about taking care of your academics because you understand how important your grades are to your future success,” he insisted. “Coaching is teaching and teaching is coaching, and someone in my position has to understand that every kid does not come to school from the same home scenario.
“Bud Billiard knew that, and I understand that, and that will go a long way on our team just like it did when I played for Coach Billiard.”
The green and gold faithful apparently agree.
“Once it was announced and I came back to a basketball game, there were a lot of hugs and handshakes,” Sisinni said. “People are excited for traditions to return, but it will be difficult to bring back everything from the 1980s because a lot of things have changed in Brooke County since then. We had since and industry, and we had a lot of people living here and a lot more kids playing on our sports teams back then.
“But the heart and desire are still inside our kids. I can see it every day. They want to win, and they are willing to do what they have to,” the head coach added. “That has me excited, and that’s why I thank Dr. Crook, Corey Murphy, and BOE for bringing me back to Brooke football. We’re going to work hard to be a solid product out on that field that the people in Brooke County can be proud of. That’s the biggest goal of all.”
