From Big leagues to Jenks America: The Story Of New Head Coach Brian Walker

Coach Walker’s welcome photo.

Photo Credit: Jenks Athletics Instagram

By: Ethan Logan

Intensity, consistency, and leadership are the non-negotiable characteristics of new coach Brain Walker. The ex-pro and Razorback came back home to take control over the Trojan’s four time state champion baseball program. Coach Walker’s regime is one of one and has worked at the collegiate level. 

When asked about Walker, senior pitcher Lucus Miller had something to say about his mentality.

“Definitely different, but I do think he has the heart and intensity our team needs to win,” said Miller. This is not the only player who feels this way about their coach. 

Another senior, Mason Goss who plays left field, answered about his coach as well.

“His passion for the team is very high and has his mind set on winning,”  said Goss, he also mentioned “The work load is definitely higher but that is what is needed in order for us to be great.”

One pattern seems to remain, Walker’s passion, intensity, and love for not only the game of baseball but his team as well. Walker’s love for the game runs deep in roots. His love started all the way back to when he was just a kid.

Coach Walker’s love for baseball starts way back to when he was a little boy. He started playing because that’s what his dad did. The Union graduate of the class of 2003 found love in more aspects than one. The love came from the grind and the progress and one other detail.

Coach Walker started to really enjoy working hard because of the progress. Walker reflected on the times that he got up early and stayed late with his dad to be the best that he could be. 

He mentioned one other key detail about baseball that he felt was a reason he loved it so much.

“Baseball’s a mental game.” Walker loved the mind game that was and is the game of baseball. The perfect pitches and hits or the communication and team work it takes to be good. Walker felt a natural draw to the game for this reason. With that, he took it and ran. Paired with his mindset of intensity there was no stopping him.

When it comes to growth the mindset of Coach Walker is unmatched. Never leaving an opportunity win or loss without learning. He has strong opinions on pressure as well.

“Pressure is a privilege” said Walker as well as "preparation eases the pressure,” these quotes quite literally describe the mindset behind the coaching.

Coach Walker believes in preparing his team he will rid the pressure of the moment. He also believes that the crumbling and the success that both can follow from pressure are key moments to an athletes career.

Walker talked about the big moments in his life. He mentioned times in college and times in high school. But also, the move from his old opportunity to the Trojans. 

When asked about the difficulties of picking up a job a hundred miles away from his son, Walker displayed a calm sense of gratefulness and trust. He trusts his family and wife as well as that it was the right decision. Walker and his family have hit the ground running.

Coach Walker rounding the bases with a buddy.

Photo credits: Isabella Quintero

A large part of who Coach Walker is can be found when asked about his achievements. His humility and thanks cannot be overstated. Walker was a team captain for his Razorback baseball team for two seasons and then a professional baseball player. When asked about what that was like he couldn’t overstate the thanks and the way it meant to him that they had the trust in him to draft him and to set him as captain in college.

Coach Walker believes that those leadership roles also prepared him to be a coach. Allowing him to be the glue not only on the diamond but also in the other aspects of life.

Walker believes in not only creating a good team but also on creating good men.

He believes part of being both is the way you prepare. Not only in baseball but in the classroom as well. He mentioned a large sum of his job is preparation too.

“If we can hit it over the fence we will do that and if we can't there is no reason in trying to,” said Walker. He believes in playing to the strength of the players. He said “baseball is a mental game more than it is physically.”  

Walker has spent a lot of his time here as the new head coach evaluating what Jenks has to offer. One part stuck out, he continued to talk about the athletes at Jenks and how impressed he was. He talked about the talent that the boys have. 

Overall, Walker is very pleased with the experience thus far. Walker is also very excited about what he can do with this team. He has his goals and morals that he desires and trusts that his team can achieve but also has a place he can hopefully call home for a very long time.

The Trojan baseball season is still a ways away but the team and coaches are eager to get to the diamond to see how the new parts work. We are also very excited to see how the tradition of excellence continues with the new addition. Welcome back to the 918 and Trojan territory Coach Walker.