If life were like a sports team, Jerry Roberts and Barr Brown would have been considered role players.

Of course, all sports fans know that role players make a team go.

While neither were head coaches or athletic directors for an area school, both left indelible marks on their schools of choice — for Brown, Trinity, and for Roberts, Vidalia — due to what many who knew them best called a true passion for kids.

Roberts and Brown were each heavily involved in area sports. Both men were volunteer coaches and each coached youth sports in their respective cities. Roberts used his role as a Concordia Parish School Board member to bring a new, much-needed athletic facility to Vidalia High, while Brown spent thousands of dollars out of his own pocket to improve the athletic facilities at Trinity.

One thing became clear in the days after the plane crash: the two would be greatly missed by their respective schools.

“Jerry’s not going to be replaced,” said Vidalia head coach Dee Faircloth. “He was one of my coaches, a school board member, a baseball coach, a sports fan, a referee. You name it, he did it.”

“Barr’s the sole reason I brought my kids to Trinity,” said Greg Ketchings, whose children competed with Brown’s on Trinity athletic teams, as well as on several youth sports teams.. “My son was born the same day as his second son. We started AYA together when our kids were in fifth grade. He brought everything back to Trinity. He did so much for these kids.”

A consistent theme with both men was their commitment to youth.

“The kids loved Barr,” Ketchings said. “He meant a lot to them. He spearheaded this field house (at Trinity). I can go on and on about Barr and Trinity. But whatever he did, the reason was the kids.”

Faircloth said much of the same of Roberts.

“Everything Jerry did was for these kids,” Faircloth said. “The non-athletes as well as the athletes. He loved being around them.”

Two Vidalia football players recalled plenty of practices in which Roberts provided entertainment, as well as instruction.

“He was fun to be around,” said junior Beau Doughty. “He was kind of like one of us.”

“My first year here he had heard I could catch the ball,” said senior Demack Bates. “He had a pretty good arm, so he started throwing balls as far as he could. Every time I’d catch one he’d throw the next one farther.

“He wasn’t just a coach. He was like a friend.”

Faircloth agreed Roberts’ personality was one of the best things about him.

“He was always joking around,” Faircloth said. “He was always picking, especially on us coaches. He was a lot of fun to be around.”

Both left a lasting legacy at their schools. Roberts fought for the new weight room and locker room facility, while Brown helped bring a new field house and stereo equipment for Trinity’s football stadium and gymnasium.

“There’s nothing he loved more than to call a game in this old cracker jack gym of ours,” said Trinity coach David King. “He meant a lot to this school and to me.”

“That show we put on on Friday nights — that’s Barr,” Ketchings said, referring to the musical montage routinely preceding Trinity football games. “He helped install that sound system. He got the playground done. This school meant a lot to him.”

Faircloth said he wouldn’t soon forget Roberts’ resolve in bringing the new athletic building to Vidalia.

“Jerry fought like a son of a gun for that building,” Faircloth said. “Like I said, he can’t be replaced. I think his loss is going to be felt around here for years.”

“It’s going to be different not having him around next year,” Doughty said. “We’re going to miss him.”