Carney family leaves lasting impact on Osceola football

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There are many generations to thank for Osceola Indians football, one family has sent three generations of student athletes onto the gridiron week after week.

“I moved to Osceola in 1965, and low and behold after I moved here I found out there was no football.” said Don Carney. So, he joined the school board and wanted to get a football program started.

The school board asked voters to approve a bond issue that would build a new school and a football field.

“It passed by one vote over two thirds.” Carney explained.

And thus Osceola football began in 1972. Don reached out to his old high school football coach to come coach for the Indians, with Don helping out as well.

“One of our main problems with this size of school is get enough kids out for football.” Carney added.

He admits there was one year he thought the program might go under.

“We had 15 (players), we thought we were going to die,” Carney continued with a chuckle. “But we made it through the season.”

Since then,  all five of Don’s sons and all nine of his grandsons have played for the program.

“We talk a lot of football, a lot of strategy, I keep trying to get them to run different things but they don’t listen to me.” Carney added with a smile.

Now the Indians are coached by Don’s oldest grandson Cody Carney.

“You feel a lot of pride, knowing that there has been kind of a long tradition here. And it is just something that I hope that I can live up to keeping those traditions going.” Cody said.

Since the program began in 1972, Cody said there may have only been five years without a Carney invested in the program in some way.

“At one time I came back to help my uncle coach, and we had 5 or 6 players that are either his son or my brother, his nephews, my cousins, and you had both of us coaching,” Cody added. “It was a great experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

“Your family talks football and we meet every Friday night to play football. It is not only a school thing, but it is a family thing.” Don added.

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