Stephen Brankle

No

Amy and I have lived in Arkansas 14 years now. I work at John Brown University where I am in charge of maintenance, grounds and landscaping, and custodial services. I love my job because every day is different. The University has added 400,000 square feet of buildings since I started which has been exciting to be part of. Two more buildings start this summer. That keeps me busy 50 hours a week.

In my spare time, I enjoy biking (I quit racing last year after almost being in a serious wreck that saw a bunch of guys go to the hospital), coaching my daughters volleyball and softball teams, and lately I started playing volleyball. It is sad to realize that we have gotten old. I am in a sand volleyball league and found out that I am the oldest player in the league. We are in first place and I am the starting setter - so maybe age doesn't matter. My goal is to be able to play long enough and be on the same team as my daughter. In a month, both of our kids will be teenagers. My son started driving this year and is working for me. Thank God he isn't as crazy as I was!

I am very blessed to have a great family, a great job, and live in a place that is a very positive place to raise my kids.

I want to first correct Adam Brice's school story. Adam - you got some facts wrong my friend. The biggest one being that I did not moon the other school's volleyball team. The correct fact is that I mooned Crown Point's basketball team after we lost to them in the state championship. I don't think the volleyball team made semi-state, so that is another correction for you. However, you are right in that my butt was frozen!

I guess if I could do it all over again the one thing I would do different is that I would apply myself more in my coursework and in sports. It was too easy to go through the motions and be decent. I did that in college too. When I got to graduate school, I finally applied myself and it was amazing how well I could do. Sports was the same way. I should someday apologize to Dee Ballinger for being such a slacker in cross country and track. Now I give 100% but my body is too broken down to get the results. Hopefully I can pass that lesson on to my kids.

High school was fun. However, you don't really realize how good you have it until it is too late. I have a lot of fun memories and I am glad I married Amy because she can verify that I am telling the truth when I tell some crazy story. People don't believe me half the time, but then I call her in to back me up.