Services were held for longtime Oklahoma City University soccer coach Brian Harvey on Saturday. The legendary coach passed away two weeks ago at the age of 76.
Harvey was a legend in Oklahoma City soccer, and he touched the lives of many in his 34 years at OCU. Hundreds of those people gathered at Frontline Church to honor his memory.
Harvey had a passion for the game of soccer, and he played professionally for many years. Professional soccer even took him around the world to places like Australia, China, and England.
However, he is best known here in Oklahoma City as the former head soccer coach at OCU.
“To say he is a legend in soccer is a gross understatement,” said Chris Harrison, who played for Harvey in the early 1990s.
Although he was influential in the Oklahoma soccer community, Harvey’s impact stretched beyond just the field.
“I hear all the stories,” said Billy Martin, one of Harvey’s former assistant coaches. “But none of them start out with, ‘He was a great coach.’ That’s just a testament to him because he was so much more than that.”
Nate Doll, another former assistant coach, also spoke on Harvey as an influential person in his life. “He taught us so many great lessons that we can now pass on to our children so that his spirit lives on,” said Doll.
Harvey will also be remembered as a beloved husband and father.
“My father, as many of you know, was larger than life,” said Harvey’s daughter Nicole. “He was quick-witted, commanded a room, and had this special ability to make each person he interacted with feel special.”
His service reflected a life well-lived, with hundreds of friends and family from near and far.
“My words are going to fall short of how much we loved this man and how much he impacted the game of soccer,” said Harrison.
On and off the field, Brian Harvey’s memory will live on.
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