It's difficult to discern if this is truly a trend up in Solano County but, if it continues, the next set of men's basketball coaches at Solano College will be younger than their student-athletes. New interim head coach Diego Reyes is 27. His newest staff hire, Brandon Bracy, is 33.
The current plan in place is to team up with the rest of the hoops staff and turn the program around, primarily by getting top Solano and neighboring County talents to come to Fairfield to play community college basketball.
"Diego reached out to me," Bracy explained, "saying it was a new era at Solano." Bracy, who is moving over from an assistant coach position at San Joaquin Delta College, is familiar with the program and also a Solano College alum.
But besides being involved with recruiting, player development, assisting in game planning and scouting opposing teams, new to him, Bracy will also be teaching at his new school, working in the health & fitness center alongside teaching the basketball class, yoga, plus more to be determined. "I'm looking forward to being in the classroom," he said.
He has also assisted at Napa Valley College as well as coached at numerous area high schools.
"It's difficult to get in at a junior college and I wanted to be part of something special," Bracy explained. "I think we have that opportunity here."
The Plan For A Turnaround
"A lot of the top players around Solano go elsewhere and we want to turn that around in the 707," Bracy said. "Our goal is to get kids to want to stay here."
Bracy's Solano College pitch? "Our campus is great. We have Chabot College coming up next season and that's something you wouldn't ordinarily see. Yuba College has enjoyed a chokehold on our conference and we want to make it a lot more competitive. College of Alameda did a lot better this season after bringing in Gary Payton as a new head coach so we'll have a rivalry there."
"Some kids still need to see a change before committing but we're offering the chance to be a part of our new era, coming here when expectations are low and becoming one of the best teams in school history. We'll develop you and help you move on (to a four-year school)."
Bracy's Personal Master Plan
Talk about deserving, Bracy has been preparing since 2014 for this moment. From scratch in September 2014, he started his own AAU travel team, the Team Rampage 707 Basketball Club, and will continue to operate it. He has also worked as a youth counselor for Golden State Warrior basketball camps as well as those of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Educationally, he possesses Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Media Studies from California State University East Bay and followed that with a Master's Degree Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine in 2016-2017.
Recruiting
So how has Solano College recruiting gone to date? Nine new players so far are coming in to play for the Falcons:
- Easton Valenzuela, a 6-foot-2 guard from Dixon High and American River College
- Samuel Gillaspy, a 6-foot guard from Alhambra High
- Daryl "DJ" Brown, a 6-foot-2 guard from Vanden High
- Carter Miles, a 6-foot-3 guard from McClatchy High and San Joaquin Delta College
- Joey Fross, a 6-foot-2 guard out of Escalon High and San Joaquin Delta College
- Damari Combs, a 6-foot-6 forward out of Fairfield High
- Ryan Bailey, a 6-foot-4 guard out of Bishop O'Dowd High
- Dwight Strickland, a 6-foot-8 center out of and Vallejo High and San Joaquin Delta College
- Dominick Dennis, a 6-foot-2 guard out of Benicia High and Los Medanos College
Regarding Bracy's 17u Elite New Balance travel team currently sporting a 10-2 record with upcoming tournaments in Memphis and St. Louis, he said, "this group is probably the most competitive and well-rounded in my 10 years. We don't have a super lead guy but 1-10 everyone is good."
Bracy is fully feeling the positive throughout all his efforts, offering "we're stacking good days."