Memoriam

Future SCF Health and Human Performance Center to Memorialize Brian “Newbs” Newberry

The first honorary gift to SCF’s future Health and Human Performance Center is in loving memory of longtime College employee and alumnus, Brian “Newbs” Newberry. Mrs. Newberry’s $50,000 gift was matched 1:1 by the SCF Foundation’s Director/SCF Trustee capital gifts matching program. Like Brian, the significant $100,000 gift will make a big difference in the lives of SCF’s athletes as well as the community. Brian, known to many as “Newbs,” passed away in 2014 at the young age of 43. According to his mother, Carolyn Newberry, sports were all he lived for, and the affinity was born from the love and mentoring he received from former Manatee Community College coach, Harry Kinnan. From the time he set foot on campus as a student, Brian began his lifelong career in sports, and over his 19-year tenure, he served as basketball manager and equipment manager for the College. His profession was his passion, so it was not work, but fun! He would often take on jobs that did not pay, including traveling to Philadelphia to cover the World Series and to Hoover, Alabama, for a summer with Michael Jordan when he switched to minor league baseball. If you’re a sports fan who often looks for stats and game recaps, his name may sound familiar. Brian was a sports writer for the Bradenton Herald and contributor for the Herald-Tribune. There’s some irony to the very generous gift in honor of Brian, who Mrs. Newberry says was very conservative, with money having little influence. As a matter-of-fact, he made it a point not to buy name-brand clothing, as he wanted to “fit in” versus “stand out.” SCF’s new Health and Human Performance Center will stand out! The 37,791-square-foot Center will fully accommodate SCF’s male and female student athletes as well as the College community. It will feature a full-size gym to promote wellness as well as your traditional gymnasium settings, including team rooms (home and away), training facilities, coach offices, classrooms, and concession and vending areas. Newbs’ legacy will live forever in the memories of those who knew him and now in his name within SCF’s Health and Human Performance Center. Brian is remembered by the College community as a kind, loving man who dedicated his life to the College and championing its athletic programs.