WINDSOR – Bryce Cullipher is fulfilling his lifelong dream.

“It has been my childhood dream to go to college and play football,” Cullipher said Tuesday afternoon after signing to play at the next level.

The Bertie High School senior committed to Methodist University where he will be a part of the Monarch football program.

In his high school career, which included a stop at Lawrence Academy, Cullipher played outside linebacker, punter and kicker. He spent his last three season with the Falcons where he said he learned a lot about the game.

“I believe Coach (Tony) Hoggard made me a better football player than I could have been at any other school,” Cullipher said. “The coaches here taught me what is right and taught me to get better every day.”

Cullipher played junior varsity and varsity football at Lawrence before going to Bertie where he spent his sophomore season on the JV squad. He moved up to varsity as a junior and spent two seasons playing linebacker and on special teams.

His abilities as a kicker and punter were showcased on a video on the National Collegiate Scouting Association website. It was that video and a conversation with Hoggard that led the Methodist coaching staff to Cullipher.

Once he began looking at the school, the Falcon senior said it had everything he was looking for in a college.

“Methodist is close to home and my family can come watch me play,” he said. “They also have my intended major which is Environmental and Occupational Management.”

Cullipher said when he traveled to Fayetteville to visit the campus he immediately liked what he saw.

“When I visited, it felt like home,” he said. “It has a small-town atmosphere.”

While he enjoyed playing linebacker at Bertie, Cullipher said he was also happy to be concentrating on one area as he enters his collegiate career.

“I think it will be a blast to concentrate on one thing and be able to work every day to make that better,” he said. “My goal will be to get better every day and help Methodist University win a conference championship and go to the Division III playoffs.”

For his part, Hoggard said he believes Cullipher will have the opportunity to do just that.

“I hope he will take the same work ethic he has had here,” Hoggard said. “He’ll be a great asset to the team if he will continue to work every day and remember that he is not the only person they recruited at his position. He’ll have to work day in and day out and I think he’ll do that.”

Hoggard said Cullipher had been a real asset to the Falcon football program.

“He has been a great inspiration to have on the team,” Hoggard stressed. “He is a hard worker, he’s dedicated and he’s loyal.”

Cullipher said he intends to begin that hard work immediately.

“I’m going to spend this summer in the weight room and working out to get in the best shape I can,” he said. “I want to show the coaches I’m ready to play.”

Cullipher is the son of Charles and Mary Ellen Cullipher of Colerain.