Brodie Croyle Luncheon Recap

Posted on Tue Jan 31, 2023

Every month, Warren & Simpson holds a luncheon and hosts a speaker to have a conversation important to the Bar Association in North Alabama. They have hosted lawyers who moonlight as bestselling authors, former Governors of Alabama, and in this month's spotlight, they had former Professional and Alabama Crimson Tide QB, Brodie Croyle. Brodie is now the President and CEO of Big Oak Ranch.

Big Oak Ranch is a Christian children's home located in Alabama, USA. Founded in 1974 by John Broyle, Brodies father. The ranch provides a safe and nurturing environment for children who have been neglected, abused, or abandoned.

The mission of Big Oak Ranch is to provide a Christ-centered home for children in need, where they can experience love, acceptance, and the opportunity to grow into responsible adults. The ranch is staffed by a team of dedicated caregivers who provide a stable and loving environment for the children in their care.

The ranch offers a wide range of programs and services to help children heal and grow. These include academic support, counseling, recreational activities, and spiritual guidance. The ranch also has a working farm, where children can learn about agriculture and animal care.

Brodie's dream at a young age was to play in the NFL. With that set as his goal, he strived for perfection. When Brodie went into college football, his perspective of football had changed. While in the film room, going through the past week's games. The coach was solely focused on the mistakes that were made and not giving light to the plays that assisted in the team winning the game. After the hundredth time of re-watching a bad play, Brodie asked the coach if they could move on. The coach then asked everyone to leave the room except for him so that they could chat and as soon as everyone left, Brodie's coach told him 'You play to a standard everyday not just on game days and if you think I am only talking about football, then you are wrong.' From that point on, Brodie's entire outlook of football was altered.

'You have to have the willingness to reflect, the willingness to change', Brodie said upon his reflection of what his coach was telling him. From that point on, the way Brodie viewed football, and life, was completely different. He had to learn how to serve something greater than himself to become the leader he was meant to become.

Even if that meant riding the bench for a few seasons and witnessing players reep the harvest that he helped plant.

Once Brodie was drafted to the NFL, he was told that he was now a business of one and his only focus would be to maintain his business. But his coach had a different perspective, his coach was more worried about who the players were as individuals. 'The measure of a man's success is not by the weather he obtains but about the lives that he touches'

During Brodies rookie year he entered the game while they were losing 42-7. His first pass, a touchdown... but in the form of a pick six. He was so overwhelmed by everything surrounding him that he made a mistake. Following the pick, the coach said it can't get any worse, go run it again and prove yourself. With that motivation followed by NFL hall of fame tight end, Tony Gonzalez, telling him to throw him the ball... he threw his first NFL touchdown. He tells this story to say Big Oak Ranch offers children the chance to go run life again, their surroundings are not their fault.

Big Oak Ranch sets levels of expectations for their kids in the form of 4 promises from God for Parents:

1. We Love You - Our love is free, you do not have to do anything to earn it, the best way to love is to say it often and give it freely

2. We Will Never Lie To You - our kids have no reason to believe or trust so on the front end, we are going to give you the truth no matter what. We are fighting on behalf of the broken because the broken have a tough time surviving.

3. We Will Stick With You Until You Are Grown - we are going to be here and show you what perseverance is.

4. There Are Boundaries - When there are boundaries there are rules. Discipline is the hardest love to give.

"The world may slow down in ways, but we never slow down on pursuing and providing a home for children who desperately need it"

To learn more about Big Oak Ranch, visit: https://www.bigoak.org

If you or someone you know knows about children who are in desperate need of help, contact Barton and Derek of Warren and Simpson today!