By Nathan Oster

The Greybull Buffs took the field in Big Piney last Friday with a new look, compliments of perhaps the most accomplished athlete to ever don the blue and gold of GHS.
Brett Keisel, who starts at defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers and is a 1996 GHS graduate, was the man responsible for a shipment of 44 new Nike football shoes that arrived at the school last week.
White with the Nike swoosh set in navy blue, the shoes were handed out to team members last Tuesday, and were on their feet by day’s end.
“It was like 40 kids at Christmas time around here,” said Greybull football coach John Cundall, who, along with his three assistants, also got matching turf shoes of the same color.
Cundall explained that he bumped into Keisel this past summer, when he, his wife Sarah and their young child were in town visiting family and friends.
 “He works out at our facilities whenever he comes home,” said Cundall. “This whole thing … it’s something he wanted to do, to give back to the school, and to the football program.”
Once the plan was made, Cundall began gathering the shoe sizes of his players. At first, none knew why.  But in time, they came to realize that they were about to get a new pair of cleats, he said.
As in most sports, football players at GHS are responsible for paying for their own shoes. Many had already done so … but were still delighted to get the free pair and begin breaking them in.
With only a few exceptions (players who didn’t feel the shoes were broken in enough yet), the Buffs took the field in Big Piney with a uniform look.
“They looked very nice – but then, I’ve always felt like our kids are sharp in the way they travel and present themselves,” said Cundall.
“This was a fantastic gesture, a kind gesture, and something he wouldn’t have had to do,” said Cundall of Keisel’s donation. “An NFL player is so busy during the season. For him to take time out of his schedule, and make this happen for us … it’s just something we’re all very appreciative of.”