To Bear River football players, football is more than just a sport — it’s a brotherhood.

“To be a football player means playing a sport you love with your closest friends,” said Luke Baggett, a junior and Varsity Safety and Receiver. “The bond between teammates is like a big family we are all brothers playing for the same thing and for each other. I enjoy playing in front of all the fans under the lights on Friday nights with all my teammates.”

“What it means to be a football player is to have a purpose,” says Toran Maronic, a senior ex-football player who now acts as a team leader. “You persevere through some adversity to achieve an ultimate goal as a family with your band of brothers. The bond between me and my teammates is incredible.”

Maronic credits the football brotherhood with helping him recover from a freak head injury that nearly killed him.

“They are my brothers and are probably the reason why I survived and didn’t end up dead and 6 feet underground.”

Players discussed the benefits of football.

“There are benefits to being a football player,” Maronic said. “You become athletic of course, but the coaches and program help teach boys how to turn into young men. We learn about life. Every lesson we learn is parallel with life. And lastly, I couldn’t choose a thing I love most. I just love the game.”

“(It’s) good exercise and helps people get into shape like myself,”said Robert Kreiter, a sophomore and player on the Specials Team. “I get to meet new people and make new friends. I can get into any sports games for free. It teaches teenagers self discipline. I enjoy hanging out with my second family on the field. I also like being knocked onto my (expletive) when I’m not expecting it.”

Kreiter said football was a fundamental part of his life.

“Football means the world to me, if I couldn’t play I would be devastated,” said Kreiter. “I don’t know what I would do without playing it. Most of the guys and I get along really well. They always help me when I’m struggling with something and they give me really good advice. I feel like I can talk to them about almost anything.”

Coach Scott Savoie shared his perspectives as a coach.

“I think that football is the greatest team sport on earth because it takes so many people, so many guys or players to contribute to put together a winning team,” Savoie said. “You gotta get 25, 30 guys all flying the same direction in unison. I think it’s the greatest sport myself, I’ve been involved with football since I was twelve years old in every season as either a player or a coach. I think because of the amount of time and effort that goes into preparing for football and football games … the bond between the players is truly a brotherhood and I think the coaches feel that too you know between the coaches. I think there’s a bond between the coaches and players too, we spend a lot of time together. We probably spend more time with the players during the season then they’re parents do actually. We’re with them all day long. It’s a great sport — we have a bunch of great kids that are gonna carry on that Bear River Bruin tradition.”