Coach Jim Byrnes Memorial Scholarship Fund

¨I have never felt my job was to win basketball games. Rather, that the essence of my job as a coach was to do everything I could to give my players the background necessary to succeed in life.”- Bobby Knight

What you need to know about Jim Byrnes…

Coach Byrnes was a basketball coach and a teacher, but he taught more than basketball and phys ed. His most important teachings reached well beyond the gymnasium and impacted the lives of everyone fortunate enough to have crossed his path. He wanted to win, and his teams won many, many games, but he felt that winning was not the goal, but the inevitable by-product of creating a successful program.

Hard! Smart! Together! The hallmarks of the Bedford basketball program built by Coach Byrnes from 1993-2014 were that his teams played hard, smart and together. Hard: regardless of your talent, you would never step on the court if you did not give 100% effort. Smart: his teams were prepared for anything the opponent would throw at them. Together: selfishness was not allowed, and acts of selflessness were applauded. These three principles, hard, smart and together, were the backbone of the Bedford program.

The lessons he taught on the court were, of course, meant to be carried by his players their whole lives. Play hard - work hard, get the most of your abilities and do not rely on your natural talent, push yourself to reach your potential. Play smart - prepare in life and make good decisions, focus on what is important.. Play together - use your talents within a framework effectively to achieve maximum results. If you were lucky enough to have played for Coach Byrnes, you learned these lessons and many, many more.

The Coach Jim Byrnes Memorial Scholarship and why you should donate…

Coach Byrnes impacted the lives of so many at Bedford High School, guiding his students and players through what could be a tumultuous period and setting them up for success in life. To honor his legacy, his family is excited to be partnering with Bedford High School to create a scholarship fund. The Coach Jim Byrnes Memorial Scholarship Fund will be granted to a graduating senior from the boys and girls basketball teams at Bedford High School who exemplify the spirit of the program built by Coach Byrnes. He always had a soft spot for the kids on the team who may not have had the most talent, but who gave it their all, who worked hard in practice when the spotlight was off, and who were great teammates. We believe this scholarship would be a great way to celebrate these individuals and reward them for playing hard, smart and together!

The world lost a great man on March 2, 2024, but his legacy lives on. Please donate what you can to keep this scholarship fund, and Coach Byrnes’ memory, going as long as possible.

‘No one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, until the clock wound up winds down, until the wine he made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested.”- Terry Pratchett