Last night I had
the pleasure of attending the Norfolk Sports Club’s 73rd Annual
Jamboree, where I was asked to present the prestigious Tom Fergusson
Memorial Award to the Metropolitan Sports Person of the Year, Virginia
Wesleyan University Softball Coach Brandon Elliott.
Incredibly
deserving of this honor, Brandon is just off a national record 54-win
season, a stellar 54-and-3 overall mark, and an NCAA National Softball
Championship. His coaching staff won the NFCA award for the top coaching
staff in the country, and he returns this year the National Pitcher of
the Year—also the National Player of the Year—who went 32-and-3...as a
freshman. Entering play this week, Virginia Wesleyan softball was ranked
No. 1 in the country—the third season in a row the Marlins have reached
that ranking during the regular season.
A 2003 graduate of
Virginia Wesleyan, Brandon was a four-year member of the Marlins
baseball team and served as team captain his senior year. After a year
away while earning his master’s in sports management, he returned “home”
to his alma mater to work in enrollment. Our Executive Director of
Intercollegiate Athletics, Joanne Renn, saw tremendous potential in
him—a strong competitive spirit, a powerful desire to succeed,
demonstrated self-motivation, and, on top of all that, a kind and caring
personality. She offered him an opportunity to lead our softball
program, and after 10 years at the helm, he finished the 2017 season as
the most successful coach in program history with a 353-100 record. His
teams have made six NCAA appearances, have won five ODAC Championships,
and have fielded 11 All-Americans.
It is clear that Brandon has
made a tremendous impact on Hampton Roads athletics in the last year,
but to simply rattle off a list of his records, titles, and
accomplishments would be a disservice. To get to the heart of this
honor, and why it means so much, I want to share more with you about the
type of person you’ll find in Coach Elliott.
Brandon has a rare
fire in him. His success on the field stems from his winning personality
and his fundamental love for all those around him—be it his family, his
friends, or his team. He has a vibrant energy, a super-sized “can-do”
attitude, and he commands positivity, regardless of any challenges in
his path.
In 2008, Brandon’s mother Elaine, his biggest fan, lost
a hard-fought battle with cancer. This loss shook Brandon to his core,
but he did what his mom taught him to do when life knocks you down. He
got up, dusted himself off, and charged ahead. Reflecting on his own
painful loss, as well as the impact cancer has on countless families,
Brandon resolved to do more.
This determination led to his
organization of an annual “Strike Out Cancer” fundraising event at
Virginia Wesleyan, which is now coordinated annually by the VWU softball
program. In 2017, during its ninth year, Strike Out Cancer surpassed
$100,000 raised for the American Cancer Society and cancer research.
This is a true testament to Brandon’s strength and character. He
believes deeply that the best way to honor his mother, just as she
taught him, is to put others first.
Brandon has faced several
additional personal challenges in recent years. His wife, Laura (Mills)
Elliott, a 2005 Virginia Wesleyan graduate, fought kidney disease and
underwent two kidney transplants. His son, Cooper, was born two months
prematurely. Support from his family, friends and team—along with
Brandon’s fighting spirit—helped keep him centered in the face of this
adversity. Each day was a step in the right direction, and in true
Brandon fashion, he maintained a “We got this!” attitude, refusing to
let the slightest negative thought or bad report halt their forward
progress as a family. I’m happy to share that, today, the whole Elliott
family is healthy and happy.
Some people look at life as a
half-empty glass, others as half-full. Brandon looks at a glass and
thinks, “Finish that one, and let’s get another!” His tenacity, his
refusal to quit, and his love for his fellow man speak volumes of his
legacy.
He drives his players to be better people, and not just
better softball players. He teaches them to “out-love” their opponents,
not just out-play them. He helps them see the bigger picture. But most
importantly, he teaches them to pick themselves up, dust themselves off,
and get ready for the next challenge.
This is a winning
mentality that, I think we can all agree, is worthy of respect and
celebration. Please join me in congratulating this year’s Tom Fergusson
Memorial Award recipient and Metropolitan Sports Person of the Year,
Virginia Wesleyan University Coach Brandon Elliott.
