3 minute read
A Legacy of Success
Norman North head baseball coach Brian Aylor notched another career milestone when his Timberwolves beat Moore, 9-5, back in March. That win represented Aylor’s 400th as a head coach in Class 6A.
“It’s been a long journey. I never in my life thought that I would be coaching high school baseball and be a part of that many baseball games,” Aylor said. “Personally, I’m proud of the consistency that we’ve had over my seventeen years. To be able to average 25-plus wins a year for that many years in a row shows that whatever we’re doing is working.”
Norman public schools district athletic director T.D. O’Hara celebrated the achievement.
“Any time you get to that number it means that you represent a lot of good things and have a lot of qualities that are required to be a coach at the 6A level,” O’Hara shared. “He takes his profession and his job seriously each day. He takes pride in what he does. He invests time, energy and effort into the kids. He understands the importance of overall development of our student athletes and our baseball players. He takes a lot of satisfaction in the growth that each individual has made under his direction and guidance.”
During his tenure at North, 15 players have been selected to the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State team, 75 have played collegiate baseball and four players have been drafted by Major League Baseball.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” Aylor said. “I’ve had a lot of great players come through this program. I’ve had a lot of great assistant coaches… a lot of great parent groups, great administration. There’s so many factors into winning baseball games other than just what I can do.” Aylor said the success has been humbling. He took over the Timberwolves’ program in 2005 after a playing career in which he earned all Big Eight centerfielder honors at Oklahoma State and spent four seasons in the New York Yankees organization.
Since he’s guided the Timberwolves to seven regional championships, four district championships, three conference championships and a state runner-up finish in 2013.
“When I got into this and got here I thought I’d be here a few years and maybe move onto something else,” he shared. “For whatever reason, I’ve been here and stayed here and have developed something that I am proud of. I hope the people in the community feel the same way.”
Successful coaches, in any sport, often trade free time in order to develop players, study film and all the other things it takes to win at the highest level. He notes that those close to him in his life have sacrificed, too.
“There’s been a lot of sacrifices in my life, personally and professionally, to be able to attain a goal like this,” he said. “My fiancé, my two little girls, It’s more than just what I’ve done. They’re the ones that have to deal with the losses when I come home. Coaching is twenty-four-seven. There’s no off button. When you’re dealing with everyone’s most prized possession, which is their child, it can be draining mentally and emotionally.
“To have done it for over twenty years now as an assistant and a head coach, there’s been a lot of long nights. Even though I achieved the 400, it still feels like a team thing.”
When he joined the program, Norman North baseball was still searching for its first winning season. Within a year, Aylor
“It was a big transition, big turnaround quickly,” he said, reflecting on that first run to state. “I was really fortunate to have a really good group of sophomore players that were becoming juniors we were able to build upon.”
On-field successes aside, the overall growth of the program under his leadership might be what Aylor is most proud of.
“Everything’s changed. The whole facility has changed,” Aylor said. “You look at where we were and where we are now. From a facility standpoint, you look at the improvements that have been made over the seventeen years, from the practice field to the indoor, to the turf infield, to the storage facility, to the concession stand. It’s a completely different place than it was seventeen years ago.
“I’ve always believed it was my job to leave this place better than I found it. When the day comes that it’s time to maybe go a different path in my life, I hope that I can leave here and feel like I’ve done that.”– BSM
