From the time Will Brand started playing baseball in the youth leagues of Decatur, he has always known what he wanted to be — a college baseball coach.
Brand will now get that opportunity. The former Newton County standout was recently hired as volunteer assistant at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville.
“This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” Brand said. “I have always wanted to be a coach on the college level. My big dream is to be a Division I pitching coach. It’s hard to get into college coaching so when I got the opportunity at Northeast, I jumped on it. I just wanted to get my foot in the door and that’s what I’m doing here at Northeast.”
Brand said he will carry on multiple roles at Northeast.
“I will be helping with pitching but my thing will be the strength and conditioning,” Brand said. “And I will help with recruiting. I will oversee study halls and will also coach first base. Basically, whatever they as me to do. I got hired on Friday and was recruiting for Northeast on Saturday.”
Brand, who won a national championship at Jones Junior College, pitched for two years at Central Arkansas. Brand said his break came from a friend.
“I was at Mississippi State watching a high school game and Justin Brewer, who was an assistant at Meridian Community College, introduced me to Richy Harralson at Northeast. We talked a lot that day and developed a relationship. He offered me on Friday and I took it.”
Brand, who has been coaching in the summer with the East Coast baseball association, said he realized he has to transition to being a college coach.
“I just need to learn how to be a college coach,” Brand said. “I know it’s different. I’ve been coach with East Coast but know this will be different. I can’t be their friend but also have to develop a relationship with them. As far as recruiting, I’ve got to learn what to look for in players. It’s easy to identify the Division I guys. I think my biggest challenge is trying to figure out exactly what kind of player we are looking for. But this is a tremendous opportunity to work for a guy like Richy Harralson, who played at Ole Miss.”
Brand said he will still be coaching with East Coast this summer.
Brand just finished his senior year at Central Arkansas. He was 2-5 this past season with a 2.46 ERA, starting just four games but getting three saves in 67.2 innings pitched. He struck out 53 and walked just 17 batters.
