Larry G. Bryant, Governor 

My name is Larry Gunn Bryant. I was privileged to have the opportunity to participate in Football, Basketball, and Track and Field starting in the seventh grade at England JR & SR High School in England Arkansas. It was during those years in which I developed such charteristics as self discipline, team work, trusting my teammates, time management, goal setting, patience, compassion, empathy, organization, setting priorities and leadership skills to name a few. I was introduced to AAU Track & Field during the late 70’s. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend and participate in the Junior Olympic Games in Lincoln, Nebraska. I had a very successful high school career in Football and was selected as an All State Track & Field performer for three consecutive years with one of the fastest times in the state in the 200 yard dash. As a result of this success, I was awarded with a football scholarship to attend the U of A at Fayetteville under the leadership of Coach Lou Holtz.

Although my playing time on the U of A Football team was limited during my first three years, I learned so many valuable life lessons from Coach Holtz and several of my other position coaches. While attending the U of A, I earned my undergraduate degree in Social Work and a Master degree in Counseling Education. I have spent my professional career since 1984 working in the Mental Health field with Children, Adolescents, Adults and the Elderly population.

I was reintroduced to AAU Track & Field in 2000 when my youngest son joined the Faulkner Striders Track Club (FSTC). I spent the first two years being one of the FSTC coaches and the following two years as their head coach.

It was during the late summer of 2004 when Marty Knight resigned his post as the Athletics Chair and I made a decision to apply for the Athletics Chairman position. I was elected AAU Athletic State Chairman in September 2004 to 2010.

In December 2008, the Oklahoma, Ozark, & Missouri Valley Athletic Chairs from the Area 11 T&F, and I decided to form the Area 11 Youth Athletics Association to oversee the planning and implementation of the National Qualifier Meets. I was elected as the Chairman over this group. Although the National Qualifier program has undergone some re-organization, I have remained active in a leadership role with this committee who has been renamed the Region 16 Track & Field Association.

I have been very fortunate & honored to serve as the Arkansas AAU Governor since 2010. I look forward in continuing to work with our State Officers & Sport Directors in enhancing our current sports & in developing new sports for the youths in the state of Arkansas.