It's been a dream of Brody Anderson's to be a head boys basketball coach.
Now that dream is being fulfilled for the Jackson County Central graduate. And after some time in the Twin Cities he'll have that opportunity close to home.
Anderson was recently named head boys basketball coach just south of the border at Harris-Lake Park.
After graduating from JCC, Anderson attended Southwest Minnesota State, where he majored in physical education and minored in coaching.
He got his start in coaching in Marshall in a fall league and he said that he loved it. Anderson would then coach junior high basketball at Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, where he also did student teaching. From there, it was on to Sleepy Eye Public for one year.
Brody said at that point he wanted to try teaching and coaching in the Twin Cities area and found a position at Randolph, where he coached junior high boys basketball while living in Lakeville.
"The cost of living was kind of high there and I've always wanted to be around home so I started applying around home, including HLP.
"At first I didn't even know they had a head boys opening. I got to interviewing and talking and they said their boys basketball coaches son is a senior this year and he's going to play at Minnesota West so he's looking to go watch him so he thinks he's resigning so they offered me that position.
"It's always been a dream of mine to be a head coach so that's how it happened."
In addition to his school coaching positions, Anderson has coached three years of AAU basketball with the Southwest Slam in Marshall, Minnesota Nice from the Mankato-Waseca area and this past season with an AAU program in Lakeville.
As far as the style of basketball he'll employ at HLP, expect it to be a great deal like the teams he played on under Trent Sukalski at JCC.
Brody tweeted that he’s going to be leaning on his former coach as he gets his head coaching career started.
"We'll play fast, up-tempo, hard gritty basketball." Anderson said. "We'll get out and go run a lot. It should fit with what they've done in the past.
"I haven't had much contact with them but that sounds like it fits what they've done. They get out and go and push the basketball."
Brody says he'll be teaching more than basketball at his new school.
"It goes beyond basketball," he said. "I'm trying to build their character more than anything. Everyone wants to win but it's more about developing the kids into better people."
Anderson will get to know his new group of student-athletes better starting next week.
"I'm also the summer strength and conditioning coach and June 14 is the start date for that. I'll be working with all the athletes in the weight room and start having basketball practice twice a week get to know them there and I'm real excited for that."
Brody will also coach junior high football this fall and then will have a new experience for himself next spring when he coaches junior high track, a sport that he's never had any involvement with.