ACS: Austin Biggs, SW Mississippi CC

Austin Biggs
Southwest Mississippi Community College
Hometown: Clinton, Mississippi
Education: Mississippi College
Twitter @ABiggs22
Email: abiggs [at] smcc.edu
Official bio

The moment you first realized that you might like to make coaching part of your career?

In the summer of 2010 I graduated high school and had no idea what I was going to do with my life, so I ended up enrolling at a local community college. I still had no idea what I wanted to be or how to go about it.  I received a call from my principle at the high school I graduated from seeing if I’d be willing to help coach Peewee football.  I agreed and started helping out. I remember the first time I “coached” a kid. Seeing him figure it out and have success with we what I told him to do hooked me.  This was a monumental moment in my life.

Outside of mentors, talk about one way you’ve learned some aspect of coaching.

I’m a big Twitter guy when it comes to coaching and getting information. I think there is so much great information that pertains to coaching in so many ways that I can gather from different coaches all over the country that I can use in any area of coaching. 

Best career or work advice you ever received?

“Be where your feet are.” 

This has been something I’ve tried to practice as much as I can.  I think it’s only human nature to think about and look forward to things down the road, but I have to focus on the 34 guys I have in my program at the time and do all I can to help them be as successful as they can be. 

If you could go back to your rookie coach self and give one piece of advice, what would it be?

“They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” 

As someone who didn’t get the opportunity to play baseball in college I sometimes worry that doesn’t make me a good coach, but then I have to remember why I’m doing what I’m doing.  It’s to have a relationship with these 18-22 year olds and try and get them to see more from themselves.  I firmly believe that any of my guys can do anything they want to do and I want to see them become successful husbands and fathers one day.  If that happens I have no reason to worry. 

Your dream lunch date. One coach. Any sport. Any level. Living or dead. Who is it?

My dream lunch date would be Tim Corbin.  I admire how he has relationships with his players and I think how he runs his program is fantastic.  He totally changed the way I saw coaching the first time I heard him speak at ABCA in 2015.