Born in Staunton, Virginia in 1916, Bryan received his B.S. degree from Ohio University and his Master’s from Lynchburg College. For 25 years, Bryan served as Athletic Director at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg and coached basketball at the school for 27 years.
Bryan’s Glass High School teams won 4 State AAA Championships, were State Runners-up 4 times, won 22 District Championships and had an overall record of 478 wins and 94 losses. In addition to 27 years as coach, Bryan was Athletic Director at Glass for 25 years and served 6 years as Director of Athletics for Lynchburg Public Schools. Bryan was the Executive Director and Founder of the Virginia High School Association.
During his career as Athletic Director and Coach, Bryan earned countless awards for his support and dedication to high school athletics on the local, state and national levels. Among numerous civic awards, Bryan was named multiple times as “Coach of the Year.” Bryan was honored as the recipient of the “Dwight Keith Award,” the highest recognition by the National High School Coaches Association for outstanding service on the national level. In 1983, the National Federation Hall of Fame, representing the High School Athletic Associations from all 50 states, elected Bryan to its membership. He joined the State High School Hall of Fame in 1990 and the E. C. Glass Hall of Fame in 1994.
In 1979, Bryan authored a book on coaching high school basketball entitled, Love Not Fear, which espouses his successful coaching methods and personal philosophies.
Bryan was not only involved with the city of Lynchburg athletically, he was twice elected to the city council and served a term as mayor.