Where are they now? Brody Sutterfield
Since he could walk, Brody Sutterfield has had a passion for sports especially the game of football.
Growing up in a coaching household with his father, David, who is a highly respected veteran coach currently serving as the defensive coordinator at West Plains High School, Sutterfield has been held to a high standard and carried that benchmark proudly.
Following an excellent high school football career at Bushland – where the 2021 graduate was a three-year starting receiver, a District 2-3A Division I MVP, and an All-State selection – Sutterfield tried his hand playing at West Texas A&M.
However, in the middle of his second season on the Buff football squad, Sutterfield found he suffered from a heart condition, so he decided to get the surgery required and hang up the cleats.
From that point forward, Sutterfield entered the family business and began his first year as an assistant coach this past fall for the Perryton Rangers at the age of 22.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do at first," Sutterfield said. "I thought I wanted to be a game warden, but then I had my surgery for my heart condition and noticed I really missed football. It was my passion and growing up with my dad as a coach I knew that's what I wanted to do."
David couldn't be more honored to see Sutterfield enter the coaching profession.
"It's a dream to coach your kid and watch them follow in your footsteps," said David, who coached his son Brody at Bushland. "I check his scores at halftime, I watch back all of his games. What's funny is, he says the same things to the kids that he used to roll his eyes at when I said it to him. I am just so proud of him and it's an honor to see what he's doing."
With less than 30 hours left at West Texas A&M, Perryton ISD was able to hire Sutterfield through District of Innovation as long as he graduates in May.
Sutterfield's stepmother, Sandi Wheeler, is the junior high principal at Perryton. Wheeler called Sutterfield over the summer looking for young coaches to join first-year head coach Joshua Hernandez. Sutterfield showed interest. Hernandez didn't hesitate, hiring Sutterfield as the varsity wide receivers coach and an assistant baseball coach.
"Brody is a great young coach," Hernandez said. "The players respond well to him. He has a good group of receivers that like to play for him, and he's very knowledgeable. I think Brody has a long career in coaching and he's been a great hire for us."
When talking about Sutterfield the one topic that comes up is his leadership skill. He was a leader at Bushland and his goal at Perryton is to teach the young players to be leaders on and off the field. That's something that Bushland head coach Josh Reynolds always respected about his former player.
"Brody always set a great example on our football team," Reynolds said. "He by example of how he worked and how he acted on and off the field. With his dad being a coach, he got this side of it and knew what it took to be successful. Seeing him coach sure makes me feel old, but it's rewarding to see a former player get into coaching and chasing their dream. He's passionate and I'm excited for him."
Sutterfield said his goal going forward is to learn what Hernandez and other veteran coaches teach him, and hopefully be the mentor one day that his father and Reynolds are.
"My dad had a lot of influence on me," Sutterfield said. "I know the coaching hours, and I'm going to school currently, so my schedule is packed. I'm used to that grind, and I love it. The older I get and the farther I get into this, I just hope I can be like coach Reynolds and my dad. They understand football, and relationships. They are two of the best I've ever been around growing up."
