Brady Willocks has spent the summer playing baseball and waiting to decide on a college.
Over the weekend, baseball and college came together as the former Dalton Catamount went through freshman orientation and signed an athletic scholarship to continue his career on the diamond at Hiwassee College.
“It came down to either Cleveland State or Hiwassee, and I just liked the environment at Hiwassee,” Willocks said of the college in Madisonville, Tenn. “The coach is young and knows what it is like to be a player, and he is recruiting a lot of great players. He’s trying to rebuild the program, and it is going to be a lot of fun to be part of that.”
Willocks will join former Dalton teammate Austin Blount, who signed with the Tigers earlier this summer. The two will room together at the school and look forward to competing for playing time on a youthful team that is still growing; the school recently switched from a two-year to four-year athletic program.
The Tigers, coached by former Hiwassee player Shane Gardner, are a National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association Division I program, and they compete in the Mid-East Region. This past season was the school’s first as a four-year school after decades as a junior college.
The baseball team was 14-34 overall, matching the number of wins in the two previous seasons combined. This past spring was Gardner’s first as head coach.
Willocks looks forward to joining the team after a senior season in which he was a standout for the Cats. A starter at first and third base who also pitched, Willocks drove in 17 runs and scored 20 while hitting .349. He was a member of The Daily Citizen’s All-Area Baseball Team, and he has spent the summer playing for the Dalton Bombers travel team, developing more of a pitching repertoire.
“I’ve concentrated a lot on my pitching, and the coaches have said they will use me on the mound and in the infield,” Willocks said. “I am going to be playing more at third in the infield. It is more of an edge position, and the ball is coming at you quick, and I like that.”
Willocks, who also played football as a starter on the offensive line for the Cats, can be an intimidating presence on the mound and in the batter’s box. At 6 feet, 4 inches and 230 pounds, Willocks has expanded his pitches to a two-seam and four-seam fastball, curveball, slider and circle changeup, so he looks forward to getting on the mound with Tigers coaches.
“I have developed a pretty good array of pitches after working with Jordan Dean,” Willocks said of his work with the former Dalton and Kennesaw State University pitcher.
After suffering through a football season in which the GHSA stripped Dalton of four wins because of an ineligible player — denying the team a shot at competing for a region title — and a baseball season that fell short of competing for a state playoff berth, Willocks is happy to continue his playing career.
“I’ve been through a lot this past year, but I have tried to stay positive and know that God has a plan and is going to take care of it,” Willocks said. “He is going to be there in the end.”
Willocks is the son of Willie Willocks and Angela Harden. Harden said her son’s signing to play college baseball was the fulfillment of a dream that started many years ago.
“Since the first time he was 4 years old and made eye contact with a bat and a ball, this has been my dream,” Harden said. “To see him fulfill that dream, I am just so ecstatic.”
Dalton High School Catamounts
Related Photos
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(Misty Watson/The Daily Citizen) Spencer Peters, left, Brady Willocks and Parker Ryals talks during Willocks' signing party on Monday.
Discussion
July 31, 2012
Play on: Willocks signs
Will join Blount at Hiwassee College
- Dalton High School Catamounts
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Bruins rise as Marist dominates in Class 4A boys tournament
Silas Ledford was one of three Northwest Whitfield golfers to finish Monday’s Class 4A state tournament at Dalton Golf & Country Club with a round of 78. Northwest finished sixth overall. Complete results from both boys and girls tournaments are in the Scoreboard on page 3B. (Misty Watson/The Daily Citizen)
When your team has the state medalist, it is usually a good sign of how you’ll finish in the race for the team title at a Georgia High School Association boys state golf tournament.
Continued ... - Dalton, Megan Collins third at Class 4A girls state tournament
- A look ahead: State golf tournaments today at Nob North, Dalton Golf and Country Club
- Championship conditions
- Video: Class 4A boys soccer state championship
- May 17, 2013
- State Champions!
- The final roadblock topples SE
- Soccer state championship: Live updates
- Southeast vs. Dalton: Raiders will try to stop Cats' perfect season in championship
- Southeast vs. Dalton: Mistake costs senior Raider his final game
- Spring football: Teams looking for answers
- May 16, 2013
- Cats roll again to reach state soccer final
- May 15, 2013
- State soccer semifinals: Undefeated Dalton welcomes Spalding
- May 14, 2013
- Cheaves has helped Cats soccer be consistent
- Bruins and Raiders add to reputation
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