Brian Foss, a Friend of the School

Colfax resident Brian Foss was honored Jan. 23 at half time of the Tigerhawk boys basketball game with Friend of the School Award from the Iowa High School Athletic Association. Bryce Conway, Riceville High School Athletic Director and Bryan Poulter, Colfax-Mingo softball coach and retired athletic director, made the presentation.

The ADs together submitted applications to the IHSAA and Foss was awarded the honor.

The girl’s softball team joined Foss for the presentation, where C-M High School Athletic Director Zach Tomas presented Foss with an oil painting of Foss at the state softball field, surrounded by Tigerhawk players. The painting was painted by Tomas’ uncle, Larry Holley. Holley is a retired art teacher from Cedar Rapids, who currently lives in Lebanon, Missouri.

Foss moved to Colfax when his father, Bob Foss, became president of First State Bank of Colfax. When the Foss’s moved to town, they contacted Poulter, then Colfax-Mingo High School Athletic Director, and told him what Brian, who is wheel-chair bound, could offer to the district.

Foss moved from Riceville, where Brian graduated from high school and had helped with athletic statistics. Poulter, also the varsity softball coach, recruited Foss to enter softball statistics into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Quick Stat program. Entry is a requirement to participate in the state sanctioned sport. C-M High School has used a PDA and now an iPad for stat keeping for 20 years, but the program isn’t compatible with Quick Stats and requires a cross over entry for data. Foss not only enters the stats but is the team’s number one fan.

Foss was humbled by the award.

“I’m still in shock and stunned by it all.  I am so humbled to have met and worked with so many awesome people in both districts,” he said.

Below is the CM application for the award:

“Brian moved with his family to Colfax with his father’s job in the 2010’s. He is wheelchair bound, which limits his mobility, but not his enthusiasm for small school athletics. Brian quickly contacted the athletic director to offer his services in any way possible after the move. He began attending many athletic events, both at home and away.

“Brian soon was converting the softball statistics to Quickstats and then moved on to helping with GameChanger stat analysis. Brian knows all of the athletes and has become a favorite fan of the team. He had a pitch named for him this summer during the softball season. When the team made it to state, he, too, had a softball poster with his name on it posted with the team for the community to see as they drove by the display.

“He has attended team picnics and award ceremonies.

“Brian is 100 percent positive at all times. All of his interaction with the players, coaches, and fans is positive with his remarks and his energy. Even in defeat, Brian reminds the girls that they will get them next time and commends them for their hard work and high level of play.”

Below is the Bryce Conway’s Riceville application for the award:

“Brian grew up and graduated from Riceville CSD. When I came to Riceville in 2003 and began teaching and coaching, Brian had graduated but stayed involved with Wildcat athletics via attending games and helping with stats (mainly QuickStats.) Brian is wheelchair bound (has been since his youth), but his passion and enjoyment for Wildcat athletics was known to all in our community. He was such a positive role model that we named an award for him, the ‘Brian Foss Character Award.’ Brian also entered schedules and stories for coaches.”