By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Sometimes the most important thing about landing a job is being in the right place at the right time.
Thanks to an impromptu conversation, Michael Parker has a job this summer as the head coach of the Brewton American Legion Post 79 baseball team.
Parker found out about the coaching vacancy in the program in late April. The more he was informed about the position, the more interested he became in the job.
While Parker has never coached at the American Legion baseball level before, he has a lengthy baseball background. Parker played baseball at W.S. Neal High School where he graduated from in 1983. Parker entered the coaching profession after college and has spent 18 years at Flomaton High School, 11 of which have been spent on the baseball field as the Hurricanes assistant coach. Parker has also coached softball seven years at Flomaton.
Most of the Brewton roster was already assembled by the time Parker took the reins of the program.
Fifteen of the tentative 18 members on the roster reside from Escambia County.
Parker had familiarity with most of his roster before practice began last week.
One of Parker's top goals is to build team chemistry over the two-month season.
Parker will make his Brewton debut June 1 when Post 79 participates in the Tuscaloosa Lead Off Tournament.