By JOANN EARLY, staff reporter
Amanda Black, head volleyball coach, Sean Hargrove, cross country coach, and Brandon Rains, head baseball coach, discuss their hopes and goals for their teams and why they chose to join Amarillo College’s new athletics program.
Amanda Black: Head Volleyball Coach
Why Amarillo College?
I love Amarillo. This is our home. There really is no other place like West Texas. It is a privilege to get the chance to start the program here.
Goals for the volleyball team?
We play in a very competitive conference. My goals are to be in the top half of our conference in the early years, soon to be competing for conference championships each year. It is a process, and success is not overnight. We have to have girls that are ready to take a chance and show courage in being a part of a program without history. It’s going to take a lot of hard work from each recruiting class and team that comes through here to write the legacy for Amarillo College volleyball. My other goals are for our team to have 100% graduation rate, a team 3.5 GPA, and be contributing citizens in our community.
What are you looking forward to?
I’m really looking forward to the fitness center upgrades to be finished next fall and for our athletes to be on campus and competing.
Sean Hargrove: Cross Country Coach
Why Amarillo College?
I chose Amarillo College because I’ve been coaching cross-country in the panhandle for the last 22 years, and we have great runners in the panhandle of Texas that never get recruited. This is a great opportunity to be the first cross-country coach at AC and to set the high standards of winning.
Goals for the cross-country team?
Well, at first to be successful in the classroom as well as on the cross-country course. Have fun, and that comes with winning and being prepared to race when the season starts in August.
What are you looking forward to?
With the athletes we have coming in and knowing the success they’ve had before, it will be exciting to see the great success they have at the collegiate level. We have all the top panhandle seniors coming to run at AC. I’m excited to see the community’s support and their excitement also.
Brandon Rains: Head Baseball Coach
Why Amarillo College?
I think the opportunity to start a program from scratch is every coach’s dream. In addition to that, the opportunity to start a program in what I consider my hometown was even more enticing.
Goals for the baseball team?
Our goals are very simple. We want to graduate our kids from Amarillo college with a degree and move them on to the university level all while winning some games and championships along the way. If you have a good culture, recruit the right type of players, and do things the right way then the winning really takes care of itself.
What are you looking forward to?
I think the biggest thing I am looking forward to is seeing the looks on the guys faces for the first day of practice in the fall. There is always a special kind of energy on the first day of practice and that will be even greater since it will be the first day of a new program. In addition, it’s always fun for a coach to watch the players that you have recruited actually practice together in your uniform for the first time. And of course, the first game in 2023 is going to be amazing for everyone!
How’s it going?
One thing that I have been blown away by is how welcoming and supporting everyone on campus has been to our new athletic department. That type of attitude starts at the top and has filtered down to everyone on campus. We are all truly blessed to be a part of something so special.
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