Wilcox comes to Neal

On Tuesday, new head coach and Athletic Director Brandon Wilcox started at W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton, following approval by the Escambia County Board of Education Monday.

A 2002 graduate of T.R. Miller High School and member of its 2000 state championship team, Wilcox played tight end and defensive line in high school. Wilcox went to college at the University of North Alabama, where he was a linebacker and member of the 2003 Gulf South Conference championship team, and earned a teaching certificate in social science.

He got into public education starting with assistant coaching jobs at Verbena High School, Dale County High School, Carroll High School and Enterprise High School.

After being an assistant coach, he took a position as head coach at Marion County High School for two years and then at Montevallo High School for four years.

He left his last position as offensive coordinator at Centerpoint High School to come back to his hometown after he spoke with W.S. Neal Principal Hodge about the opening at the school.

"I've been to a lot of places, and so I've been able to connect with different types of kids, and personalities," said Wilcox. "I felt like this was an exceptional opportunity to build a successful program back home, and to me, it doesn't get any better than that."

Wilcox said he feels that being able to come back home and take the things he has learned over the last 19 years around the state to better these kids and this community means everything.

"A lot has changed within our school over the last 20 years,"said Wilcox. "There are a lot of new faces. But one thing that's still here is, people care about high school sports and high school football. It's important to them and as a coach, you always want to be somewhere where people care."

Wilcox's parents still live in Brewton, and being hired on Monday and starting his job Tuesday presents challenges, so he is in the process of relocating from Hoover, where he has been for the last five years.

Wilcox said he feels there is something special about his hometown area.

"There are a lot of good people and I am excited to be back home," he said.

When asked about his focus for the football program at W.S. Neal, Wilcox emphasized that community involvement, great leadership, good relationships and fun are the most important factors for success.

"I don't know how long it will take, but we are going to get it right, we are going to be successful," said Wilcox. "That starts with hiring the best assistant coaches we can get and building the most positive, strongest relationships we can with our players, our parents and the community. I told the kids today (Tuesday) we are going to have fun. And were going to build our program on that. When they learn to have fun competing at the highest level and start having success, that's when it's going to get right here. It's a pretty nostalgic moment for me right now."