Bryan Byars (born October 2, 1991) is an American

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player who currently plays as

goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...

Youth career

Putnam City North High School Putnam City North High School (PCN, PC North) is a public high school situated in Northwest Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States It is accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and is one of three high schools in the Pu ...

, Byars was named All-America and All-State his senior year. He was also named All-District from his sophomore year to his senior year. In 2008, Byars was a Gatorade National Player of the Year nominee. He was also named Oklahoma State Player Of The Year as a sophomore. In 2007, as a freshman, he helped lead the Panthers to the state championship game, losing in penalty kicks. During the middle of Byars' senior season the Panthers were the top ranked team in the nation. Byars attended

Midwestern State University Midwestern State University (MSU Texas) is a public liberal arts university in Wichita Falls, Texas. In 2020 it had 5,141 undergraduate students. It is the state's only public institution focused on the liberal arts. History Founded in 1922 as ...

in 2010 and redshirted his freshman year. In 2011, Byars transferred to University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Coming in as a redshirt freshman, Byars started his first year for the Drovers, allowing just 16 goals while collecting 67 saves. For the season Byars earned 17 wins and 10 shutouts. He also earned SAC All-Conference First Team honors. Byars spent 4 years at USAO, achieving the school records for career wins (46) and shutouts (31).

Senior career

In 2014, Byars, along with several other former Oklahoma high school standouts were named to the roster of newly established Oklahoma City FC of the NPSL, playing for his former USAO coach, Jimmy Hampton. Oklahoma City FC were liquidated in late 2014. In 2015, Byars signed a contract with the

Oklahoma City Energy Oklahoma City Energy Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The club is a member of the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer league system. History Oklahoma City businessma ...

of the

USL The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...

, where he reunited with fellow USAO, Midwestern State, and Oklahoma City FC goalkeeper, Jennings Clark. In 2016, Byars and fellow former Oklahoma City standout Adrian Ables, were signed to the new NASL team, Rayo OKC. He made his professional debut for Rayo OKC in late 2016 due to starting goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes being injured. Rayo OKC dissolved in early 2017. In 2017, Byars tried out with the

Tulsa Roughnecks Tulsa Roughnecks may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams: *Tulsa Roughnecks (1978–1984), the original top-flight team that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. *Tulsa Roughnecks (1993–2000), the team ...

and was signed to a contract shortly after. In 2018, Byars returned to

and was signed to a contract for the 2018 season. He was nominated for USL Save of the Week in weeks 17, 18, and 26 of the USL season. Byars returned to Tulsa's USL Championship team, now

FC Tulsa FC Tulsa is an American professional soccer team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma which competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. History The club was founded as Tulsa Roughnecks FC by Jeff and Dale Hubbard, bro ...

, in January 2020.

Coaching

Byars also serves as goalkeeper coach at his alma mater

for the boys and girls team, along with Oklahoma FC, a local youth club team. Byars coaching career also includes a stint at

Chickasha High School Chickasha High School is located in Chickasha, Oklahoma, United States. For the 2021-2022 school year, the school had an enrollment of 680 with 48 teachers. History Chickasha Public Schools were established in the 1890s. In his book, ''Chickas ...

that boasts an undefeated district championship as a head coach in 2015. Byars joined the staff of Rogers State Hillcats women's soccer coach

Scott Parkinson Scott Parkinson (born 27 November 1983) is an English football manager and former player who played as a defender. He is currently the head assistant coach for OL Reign of the American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). College career Pa ...

in 2017. The two had previously coached together at Chickasha High School. As of January 2023, Byars coaches with the Edmond SC youth organization.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Byars, Bryan Living people 1991 births American men's soccer players Men's association football goalkeepers OKC Energy FC players Rayo OKC players University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma alumni Sportspeople from Oklahoma City Soccer players from Oklahoma Midwestern State Mustangs men's soccer players USAO Drovers men's soccer players North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players USL Championship players FC Tulsa players High school soccer coaches in the United States Association football goalkeeping coaches Rogers State Hillcats women's soccer Rogers State Hillcats coaches College women's soccer coaches in the United States