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WE'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO HIM RIGHT
NOW.
COOKIE, AS HE IS CALLED BY THE
PLAYERS, IS THE TEEMEDS
EQUIPMENT MANAGER.
BUT THAT IS MERELY HIS TITLE.
FOR COOKIE AND HIS BELLE VERNON
PLAYERS SHARE A SPECIAL
RELATIONSHIP.
A BOND MORE THAN FOOTBALL.
>> THEY'RE MY FAMILY.
MY SONS, MY FRIENDS, MY KIDS.
THEY'RE PART OF MY HEART, YOU
KNOW?
SOMETHING I FEEL FOR.
I LOVE THEM.
I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR THEM.
THEY KEEP YOU YOUNG.
THEY MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DO
SOMETHING FOR THEM AND IT MAKES
YOU FEEL GOOD.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL
NEVER LOSE IS MAKE AGO KID FEEL
GOOD.
>> Reporter: COOKIE'S
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BELLE
VERNON PLAYERS IS NOTHING NEW.
MANY PLAYERS HAVE COME AND GONE
AND HE PAYS TRIBUTE TO MANY OF
THEM IN HIS EQUIPMENT ROOM
MAKING IT A LIBRARY FOR BELLE
VERNON FOOTBALL HISTORY.
>> THE PHOTOS HERE FROM ALL OF
THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE OVER
THE YEARS, THE GUYS TAKING
PICTURES AND STUFF.
IT'S KIND OF NEAT TO HAVE THEM
AROUND BECAUSE A KID WILL SIT IN
MY ROOM, GO THROUGH THEM, WHO IS
THIS?
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THE KID IS
SAYING HE'S A LEADING RUSHER.
THAT IS -- THAT IS JASON MURRAY.
IT'S AMAZING HOW FAST TIME GOES.
>> Reporter: COOKIE'S ROOM ISN'T
A PLACE TO RELIVE THE GLORY
DAYS.
IT'S A PLACE FOR PLAYERS TO
GATHER, ENJOY THE HERE AND NOW.
>> AFTER SOME OF THE GAMES, WE
KICKBACK IN HERE, DRINKING
MOUNTAIN DEW, TALK ABOUT THE
GOOD OLE DAYS, TALK ABOUT THE
FUTURE OF MAYBE THE FOOTBALL
TEAM AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO
DO.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST FOOTBALL.
IT'S LIKE A PLACE WHERE FRIENDS
CAN MEET AND THIS IS LIKE HERE,
EVERYBODY COMES HERE BECAUSE
THEY KNOW YOUR NAME.
>> Reporter: BUT BEING THE
EQUIPMENT MANAGER FOR HIGH
SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM IS NOT THE
MOST GLAMOROUS JOB IN THE WORLD.
SO WHAT HAS KEPT COOKIE COMING
BACK FOR ALL THESE YEARS?
>> I LOVE THE KIDS.
I LOVE MY SCHOOL.
I WAS AT BELLE VERNON GRADUATE
HERE.
I GUESS I CALL IT MY HOME.
SOME DAYS, I GET MAD AT IT AND
WISH I WASN'T HERE, BUT IT'S MY
HOME AND THE KIDS, EVERY DAY,
SOMEONE LIGHTENS YOU UP A LITTLE
BIT.
I GUESS THIS IS ONE WAY OF
GIVING BACK TO BELLE VERNON WHAT
IT GAVE ME AND IT'S MY HOME.
>> Reporter: INDEED, ONE OF THE
TRUE GEMS OF THIS BELLE VERNON
FOOTBALL PROGRAM.