FORT BENTON — You may have heard of players having a lucky number, maybe even wearing lucky socks to the game. For the Fort Benton ladies basketball team it’s the man that gets them to the game that brings them the most luck: Marvin Brodock.
“Oh, he’s like our team grandpa. I think he’s our good luck charm and I might be a little superstitious if he didn’t drive our bus,” said Cassie Pimperton, Fort Benton Ladies Basketball Coach.
Brodock has history in Fort Benton, growing up here himself and returning to the town after serving 21 years in the Army. Now he has been the bus driver for ladies sports teams for 13 years. He says making memories with the players is like family.
“When I started way back, girls sports weren’t very popular and I was the new guy on the block. When it come around to the girls sports they kind of went begging for drivers. I started driving the girls sports and click! I liked it and enjoyed it,” said Brodock.
Brodock has seen the 2021 Fort Benton Ladies Basketball Team grow since their start in sports during middle school.
Senior Maci Molinario has known him since Pre-K: “We all just love and appreciate Marvin. He’s probably our number one supporter. He’s always there. We love when he drives our bus because he always gives us little gifts and he actually comes to watch the games. I just know he loves being with us girls too."
Pimperton says it’s the small community aspect that allows for a bond to grow between the team and their driver: “Just an amazing person, cares about the kids. He just wants what’s best for them and win or lose he’s still going to love them at the end of the day."
Brodock says he and his wife Susan love supporting the ladies teams of Fort Benton. They attend games, give celebratory gifts, and send inspirational messages. They say it’s all to keep team spirit up and remind the girls they may not win every game but they will always have family behind them.
“We just do it because we have a deep feeling for the girls and want to see them succeed and the have the best that the world has to offer for them,” said Brodock.
