Brian Tuck, the head varsity Baseball coach at Chapel Hill High School, was named the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year for Region 3 earlier this month.
“We are very proud of the great work Coach Tuck and his staff has done with our baseball program over the past four years and this award is a reflection of that great work,” principal Charles Blanchard wrote in an email announcing the award.
The Diamond Tigers began the 2022 season with a promising 3-1 record, but then lost nine consecutive games. Tuck rallied the team and turned things around to win the conference championship and make an impressive run to the third round of the state playoffs. The Tigers finished the season with a 16-14 overall record.
“He really did a great job and worked some magic to put us where we were,”athletic director Lewis Newman said.
Tuck strongly believes that success comes from building strong relationships among the players.
“He really connects with the players,” senior baseball player Trevor Many said. “You can joke around with him, and he is honestly like a player. Other coaching experiences I’ve had create walls or boundaries from the players, but he takes the time to truly connect with the athletes and in that process, he also wins a lot of games.”
Many added that Tuck not only builds strong relationships with his players, but he also molds them into better competitors.
“Everything Coach Tuck does helps you improve as an athlete; it might come across as tough love sometimes, but everything he does is to make you a better player and person,“ Many said.
Tuck, who has coached the Tigers for five seasons, said he was shocked when he was nominated.
“It’s a humbling experience,” Tuck said. “It shows how strong the quality of the support staff in the community is.”
Tuck will be formally honored at a banquet hosted at East Carolina University in December.
