UMR psychology student Brandon Landry knows a lot about success. As a varsity football and basketball player, Landry broke every school record at Salesian High School in Fairfield, Calif., and was known as one of the top athletes in Northern California.

Brandon Landry | photo by John Kean

“I dedicate a lot of time to athletics,” says Landry, who has been a part of the Miner football program since 2004. “I believe that you get what you put in, whether it’s with the team, in meetings or working to make myself a better individual. The time and dedication has been worth it for me.”

Landry also appreciates the relationships he has formed, saying that it’s a bonus of participating in athletics.

“The friendships I have with guys on the team are lasting,” he says. “We will share a common bond for the rest of our lives. The biggest strength of our team is our ability to stick together through trying situations.

“For any student athlete, there will be a lot of ups and downs, so understand that college is a marathon and not a sprint,” Landry added. “Being able to survive the ups and downs of a season full of emotional highs and lows is a real test of team unity.”

Homecoming 2006 brought proof of the Miners’ strong bonds. “An ex-player from 50 years ago came into the locker room,” Landry says. “He talked to all of us about what kind of program we represented and what it really meant to be a Miner. That made an impact on us.”

One of Landry’s most memorable moments as a Miner came during his first year at UMR – when he was playing quarterback and led the Miners to an upset victory over nationally-ranked Central Missouri. It was a victory that came when Landry threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Phil Shin with under two minutes to play and started UMR on the road to back-to-back winning seasons.

“I’ve never had a feeling like that in my life,” Landry recalled of the events of that night in October 2004. “I feel like that event propelled the football program to what it is today. “I don’t expect anything different next year,” he says. “I think the team can surpass its accomplishments made this past year (when the Miners finished 6-5). My tenure as a Miner may officially be over, but my spirit will continue to live in this program.”

As far as Landry’s future in football goes, he is still looking to land with a professional team. He participated in a pair of pro days prior to the draft but was not selected. Landry took part in rookie mini-camps with both the Detroit Lions and New York Jets in May and hopes to find himself in a training camp this summer.

Wherever Landry is playing football in his future, he will always have an eye on what is taking place at UMR. After all, he had a part in building the foundation of the recent success.

By Amy Edwards