The Waldron Bulldogs are still flying high from their out-of-this-world record-breaking basketball season. But the feeling is also bitter-sweet as the Bulldogs head coach, Josh Brown, will be setting down his clipboard and hanging up his whistle. Brown got his high school basketball career started playing for Chris Bryant at Harford High School where he graduated in 2001. He then spent one year as a Student Assistant Basketball Coach at Arkansas Tech University from 2003-2004.
“I started as an assistant coach in Star City in 2007,” explained Coach Brown. “After three years, I took over for Jon Laffoon when he left to go to Riverview. In my first year (2010-11) we made the State Tournament for the first time in 15 years. I was the head coach for four years between 2010-2014. We made State once and the Regional Tournament three times in the four years that I was the head coach.”
When the opportunity arose to go to Waldron, Coach Brown jumped on it. “My dad’s side of the family is from the Waldron area and my mom’s side is from the Mansfield area. My brother graduated from Waldron in ’92 and most of my cousins and other family members wore orange and black. I spent a lot of Friday nights on 6th street when I was younger watching my brother play for the Bulldogs. That was really special to me to get to come home and be a part of that family tradition.”
In his seven seasons coaching the Bulldogs (2014-2021), Coach Brown has seen two Conference Championships, two State Tournament Appearances (1st win in State Tournament in school history), four Regional Tournament appearances, the 2021 District Tournament Champions, 2021 3A-4 Coach of the Year, and 2020 All-Star Coach. Coach Brown will not only be missed by the Waldron community but a whole host of communities across the state as well. He has created a winning basketball program and has laid the foundation for future Bulldogs to build on. Stepping up as the new head boys’ coach will be Brown’s partner in crime, Coach Josh Atchley.
“I have been very blessed to coach some outstanding young men, on the court and off the court, at both Waldron and Star City. I have watched them grow into great husbands, fathers, and people. When I got into coaching, I thought it would be easy. We’re going to win championships and do this, that, and the other. I found out real quick it’s not easy and the results aren’t the most important thing. Don’t get me wrong…I like winning…but the journey, the practices, the memories, the relationships that you form are what mean the most. The results will take care of themselves. It’s been such a fun ride and God has blessed me more than I deserve!”
