The colors orange and black run deep in the Lovorn family.
Brandon and Charlesy Lovorn are assistant coaches in the two diamond sports at Calhoun City, baseball and softball, and they also had successful careers playing these sports for the Wildcats in high school. Although both Lovorns have spent time at the other public schools in the county early in their coaching careers, they are proud to be back at their alma mater, a “dream job” for Brandon Lovorn.
“It means a lot to me,” Brandon Lovorn said. “It’s where I always wanted to end up. I appreciate I was able to get my dream job not long after I got out of college. It meant a lot to me to get here as quick as I did.”
Charlesy mirrors this opinion held by her brother. She wanted to bring the same love and drive for success to Calhoun City softball that she had during her playing days.
“No. 1, it’s an honor to be called back to where you played to be a coach,” Charlesy Lovorn said. “I had high expectations as a player, and Coach Ray wanted me to bring that with me when he offered me the job. No. 2, it’s a ton of fun getting to be around these girls. They’re a great group to be around, and they’ve come up with some pretty interesting traditions since I graduated.”
The Lovorns being together at Calhoun City harkens back to the times that they spent together in their youth at baseball games.
“It’s been a big part of our lives for most of our lives,” Charlesy said. “From the time I was old enough to play tee ball, there wasn’t a summer that I wasn’t playing up until I finished at Holmes. Our summers were baseball and softball up until we got to high school, and then it was workouts and travel ball. Once we got old enough to drive, we went to as many Mississippi State baseball games as we could when we had time.”
Brandon Lovorn remembers these summers fondly as well.
“Some of my favorite memories were when we played together at the park at Slate Springs where we lived,” Brandon said.
Brandon states that he and his sister have conversations in the hallway just like any other teachers, but he did joke with his parents after his classroom was moved near his sister’s.
“I joked with my parents that they moved my room next to the most annoying teacher in the school,” Brandon said with a laugh. “They said, ‘Who’s that?’ I said, ‘That’d be your daughter, Charlesy.’”
Being siblings coaching at the same school gives the Lovorns some opportunities to bounce ideas off of one another since their sports are so similar.
“Mostly, I’m the one asking him questions, and he’s the one helping me figure things out,” Charlesy said. “He’s been playing and coaching longer than I have. If we’re struggling with something like hitting or fielding, I usually ask him some drills or things we can add to practice.”
Brandon Lovorn is glad to be back at Calhoun City after spending his first coaching season at rival Bruce. To put it frankly, the Lovorns feel out of place in blue and gold.
“I ended up being the assistant coach with Turner Moore,” Brandon said. “It was unique. I caught it from all my friends, my parents and everybody you can think of. I got called every name you can think of for crossing the line and being a Trojan for a year. It didn’t take long. I was back at Calhoun City by the next school year.”
Something that the Lovorns have learned from their playing days as well as from mentor coaches is that “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” That’s a philosophy that they have tried to instill in their players in their young coaching careers.
“While I was playing at Holmes, my coaches used to tell us, ‘There are two things you can control: your attitude and your effort,’” Charlesy said. “Other than the mechanical skills of softball, I feel like that is the most important thing I learned as a player. It’s something I’ve tried to pass onto every player I’ve been in contact with.”