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Hinson back home again
Brett Hinson has been a part of one of two Vidalia High football teams to reach the semifinals and a part of a team that won the most games in school history with 13 in 2003.
He has also been part of two Vidalia baseball teams to advance to the Class 2A State Tournament, including the 2002 squad which lost to Christian Life in the state finals.
Now he hopes to get back there in a different role, as an assistant coach in football and baseball.
Hinson is a volunteer coach in football and will be a paid assistant in baseball.
"People wanted me to come back but it wasn't the right time," Hinson said. "I was still working on my Masters, which I finished in April."
Hinson, who played baseball at Mississippi Delta Community College and Mississippi College, earned his Master in Athletic Administration at Mississippi College, where he served as a graduate assistant coach in baseball or three years.
Hinson actually had offers to coach at Ridgeland High School in Mississippi, Jackson Prep and a few others along with Mississippi Delta Coommunity College.
"Some wanted me to start at Christmas or next year," he said.
Then the opportunity came to return to his hometown.
"My wife (Kaycee) had a good job in Jackson," Hinson said. "But one day she asked me if I would consider moving back home and coaching in Vidalia. That's always been one of my dreams. And Coach (Gary Paul) Parnham told me any time I wanted to come back he would be glad to have me."
Hinson said that was a no-brainer.
"I wouldn't have the same passion for coaching at another school like I do here at Vidalia," he said.
"Brett is the perfect fit for us," Parnham said. "He knows how things are run here and he's going to be a tremendous help to our quarterbacks. It's a big plus for us to have him here."
Hinson realizes Vidalia is rebuilding in football and baseball.
"Everybody was telling me to come back and turn this thing around," he said. "I can't personally do that, the kids have to work hard to do that. But I can try and motivate some guys and show a few things I've learned to help us get better. If we win a state championship, it would be because the kids worked hard for it."
Hinson admits football is his favorite sport.
"It was a lot tougher for me to succeed in football than baseball," he said.
Hinson was named All-Parish Player of the Year in football in 2004 as a quarterback and linebacker on the Viking team and to the All-Parish baseball team in 2005.
Hinson pitched two years for Mississippi Delta Community College before signing with Mississippi College. He was named Third Team All-American by D3baseball.com and pitched for the Alexandria Aces.
Mississippi College finished 30-16 in Hinson's senior year, winning the American Southwest Conference East Division Championship.
Hinson enjoyed a record-setting season. He posted a 10-2 record with an earned run average of 3.63.
Hinson struck out 105 batters in 91 innings of work. Hinson's 10 wins were the second most in MC history and the most in the country through the conference tournaments.
His 105 strikeouts were a new school record and the third most in the nation through the conference tournaments.
Hinson allowed one run in 14 innings over three days as the Choctaws came up one game short of the American Southwest Conference Championship.
Hinson got the start in MC's opening game of the tournament as the Choctaws sailed to a 10-0 win over Texas-Dallas.
Hinson struck out 10 batters over seven innings to pick up the win for the Choctaws.
Hinson actually pitched in a semi-pro baseball game earlier this year and was clocked throwing 93 miles per hour.
"I figured I would be better off coaching than chasing a dream," he said
Hinson, who works at Old South Federal Union, is hoping to get a teaching job at Vidalia High.
Hinson said he learned a lot under former Vidalia High School football coach Dee Faircloth and former Viking baseball coach Johnny Lee Hoffpauir.
"They both taught me everything I know," he said. "Ever since I was little, Coach Faircloth took me under his wing."
Hinson had tough shoes to fill. His uncle, George Cupit, played football at LSU, while Glen Cupit played football at Northeast Louisiana.
"Trying to live up to the name was hard," he said. "All I heard is how George played at LSU. Then my brother (Matt) started at Vidalia in the ninth grade and won all kinds of awards. There was a little extra added pressure, but it was never something I didn't want to do."
Hinson's first game on the sidelines was Vidalia's home game with Delhi Charter in the second game of this season.
"I was very excited," he said. "We used to all come back here from college and stand on the sidelines and watch the game. My heart was racing and my adrenaline was pumping. It was like I was playing. It was something I haven't felt in a while."
Hinson said the game has changed even from when he played in college.
"The kids are a lot different," he said. "We were all brought up with hard-nosed football and it did not matter who you were. Now, even the kids at the college level can't take some of it and you have to figure out how to treat each one and who can take it."
Hinson will be an assistant under recently named head coach Kale Davis in baseball.
"I wasn't the head coach or a top assistant in college, but I helped calling pitches," he said. "And being around guys who know how to run an offense taught me a lot. I'm excited to be back. It's fun being on the sidelines again and I can't wait to get back on the diamond here." |
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