The Reverend Mike Brister of First Baptist Church has beenserving as team chaplin for the Ole Brook Panther football team forseveral years. Brister, who has been in the ministry for 15 years,serves as Associate Paster/Student Minister at First Baptist.

Brister had walked the sidelines with the Panther teams withoutan injury, until last Friday night on King Field during theBrookhaven-Kosciusko game.

Brister sustained a hit so hard to his left thigh that he neededimmediate medical attention. It was a bad enough injury to send himto the King’s Daughter Medical Center emergency room.

“We were on defense,” explained Brister. “They (Kosciusko) threwa pass out in front of the bench. Our player drove him (receiver)and I was hit by the opposing player.”

Brister was behind a crowd of Ole Brook team members as theplayers on the field were pushed out of bounds, hit the bench andfell to the ground.

“I was on the bad end of the pile,” stated Brister. “I ended uphitting the electrical box. It punctured my left inner thigh. I gotseven stitches in the inner thigh and a bad bruise. I got some cutsand scraps and a sore inner calf.”

First Baptist Church Pastor Greg Warnock drove Brister to thehospital and Dr. Ray Montalvo looked after him until they got tothe emergency room. Montalvo is one of four physicians on the OleBrook sidelines during the games.

“They took me to the emergency room,” continued Brister. “TheyX-rayed me for broken bones and then they stitched me up.”

Brister said he is recovering and will begin walking againtoday. “I look to be up walking around Tuesday.”

Brister said he expects to get his stitches out Friday. “It’sgoing good. I am still sore.”

When asked if he will be with the Panthers Friday in Monticellofor the Lawrence County game, Brister didn’t hesitate with ananswer.

“I will be there at Lawrence County,” said Brister. “We do thedevotion and pregame meal around 3 p.m. My plans are to do that andtravel with the team.”

Brister added that he has been hit just twice in 15 years, bothinstances were this season.

“It was just a tumble,” laughed Brister of the firstknockdown.

Brookhaven head football coach Tucker Peavey was concerned aboutBrister. He said he appreciates what Brister brings to the Pantherteam.

“Rev. Brister is a big part of this team,” said Peavey. “He is afriend to all of us. What he does for us is so valuable.”

Peavey said Brister was a football coach at one time and heknows the sport. “He really knows what’s going on.”