Family Support Keeps Brown Moving


	Senior RB Chris Brown

NORMAN, Okla. -- It's quite a gift to have support from those close by when reaching for your dreams. For senior running back Chris Brown, family has always been right behind him. Brown believes that's what has shaped him into the person he is today.

From an early start, despite admitting to being a natural baseball player, his uncles had a major influence on him through a pair of hand-me-down shoulder pads given to him as a kid. Although Brown divided his time playing multiple sports growing up, the simple gift from one of his uncles still remains a special memory and a symbol of support and encouragement from his role models.

"My siblings were always wrapped up in sports and Chris just loved to be around them," Brown's mother, Bridgett, explained. "Chris just loved to be around them because they were older and they really have had him interested in sports since he was young."

The high school years came and Brown recognized the special talent he had when he stepped onto the gridiron. Track was a way to keep in condition during the off-season, but when Brown's sophomore season rolled around, he knew it was time to get serious with focus on a single sport.

Leaving home to play

for one of the top college

football programs was

a bit of a transition,

especially coming from

such a tight-knit family.

"Things started to look up and I realized that I was really good at what I did," Brown said. "I just started to really work hard and, during my junior year, I started looking around at colleges."

Playing well was what Brown did best as he went down in his alma mater's record books. He became Alexandria High School's all-time rushing leader with 5,866 yards and 79 touchdowns. All the while Brown was making history, he knew he would always have his family's support in the stands in addition to the others who looked up to him from his hometown.

Things continued to go well for Brown and he made a commitment to play for the Sooners. Leaving his hometown to play for one of the top collegiate football programs was a bit of a transition, especially coming from a tight knit family. For Brown, it was a humbling experience.

"The transition was tough at first and I wanted to rush everything," Brown explained. "I wanted to play now, but my Mom was the one who told me to be patient and stay humble. She really gave me motivation."

Even though he is far

from home, Brown

knows he always has

the support from his

family to fall back on.

At one point, when it seemed as if nothing was going right for Brown, he knew that even though he was far from home, support from his family would always be there to fall back on. Brown's mother reminded him to remain humble and keep his faith through the not-so-easy times.

"Chris has always been a humble kid," his mother said. "I always tell Chris that God can work with a humble man and, that when things get rough, it's for a reason."

Taking his mother's advice helped Brown keep doing what he has done best at OU. During his time, Brown has played for the Big 12 champion every year that he's been a part of the team. The road to those conference titles wasn't an easy one, but the journey was special to Brown because of the bond created with his teammates. Far from home, Brown created a new family, and found support from his friends.

"The sweat and tears that I've put in with these guys has really made me into a better person," Brown said. "You know who you can trust and know who's going to be with you whenever things get tough."

"Chris sees life as a

blessing. He takes life

in stride and always

puts other people

above himself."

During Brown's junior year, his family made the move from Louisiana to Oklahoma. With Chris' teammate family and biological family being so close, they get together about twice a month as a group and share a meal at home. His mother enjoys being closer to her son as she watches him continue to grow as a person and handle things on his own.

"Chris just sees life as a blessing," she added. "He takes life in stride and always puts other people above himself.

Now in his final season with the Sooners, Brown hopes to see all of the support he's gathered from those closest to him pay off -- not only for him, but also for those who helped him get to where he is today.

"I want the coaches to say that 'the money we spent on this guy was well worth it and we wish we had another guy like him.' The little stuff like that is really what I work for."

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Feature by Stephanie Turner | OU Athletics Media Relations

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