Brakebill Named Head Coach at Fordland
Fordland has named Scott Brakebill as their new Head Boys Basketball Coach to lead the Eagles for the 2024-2025 basketball season. Brakebill is currently an assistant at Norwood but is looking forward to getting back to being a head coach. Coach Brakebill was previously the head coach at Miller where he compiled a 59-45 record with two 20 win seasons during that stint, as well as a conference and district championship. Brakebill was also an assistant at Hillcrest High School on their State Champion basketball team in 2009.
Fordland is coming off a 7-18 season this year but Coach Brakebill stated he is looking forward to getting started at Fordland. He said the support that he has seen from the administration, students and community was his biggest draw to become an Eagle. He stated that he plans to meet with the team soon to start the building blocks for what they hope to accomplish in the years to come. High School Principal Chris Stallings said what really stood out to him during the interview process was Scott’s strong desire to be at Fordland and his belief that he could build something special here. Brakebill said that he expects to build a program that will compete night in night out with great intensity and effort to make the Fordland community proud and excited to come and support the program in their new gym.
Before getting into coaching, Brakebill had a very successful playing career of his own. He played professional basketball for seven seasons in the European professional league where he averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during that time. He spent time in the Germany-easyCredit League for Karlsruhe for one season and then went on to spend the rest of his career in the Belgium-EuroMillions Basketball League with both Vilvoorde and Liege Basket. Coach Brakebill spent his collegiate basketball career at Missouri State University (then Southwest Missouri State University (SMSU)), in Springfield. In 1999 he was a member of the only NCAA Sweet 16 team that Missouri State has ever had, which was led by Head Coach Steve Alford. Brakebill scored 8-points and grabbed 5-rebounds in the Sweet 16 game against Duke who went on to be the runner up in the National Championship game. Coach Brakebill spent his next three years under Head Coach Barry Hinson where he averaged 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds and also earned multiple All Missouri Valley Conference honors. Brakebill spent his high school years locally and is a graduate of Bolivar High School where he was a three time All State performer as well as a McDonald’s All American Honorable Mention recipient. Coach Brakebill is still number four on the list for the top field goal percentage in a season for his performance in the 1997-1998 season finishing with a .7321 shooting percentage. Brakebill stated he has had to opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament as well as win championships in other countries as a player, win a conference and district championship as a head coach, and a State Championship as an assistant. He said all of those memories are hard to beat; however, his most proud memory was helping Bolivar win the schools first ever COC Championship in 1996. He said that team brought the community together through basketball and that season still has an impact on the community even today. He said he hopes to bring that same type of excitement back to Fordland basketball.
Coach Brakebill is married to his wife Rachel where collectively they own and operate the Brakebill Real Estate Company. They also have two sons Jameson, who is currently a Sophmore, and Owen, who is currently in seventh grade. Brakebill said he is excited for he and his family to meet the Fordland community as well as the team. He stated he was raised in a small town community like Fordland, and there is nothing better than building something together through hard work and dedication. With that, he said he is ready to bring that hard work and dedication to Fordland. As well as being the head basketball coach, Brakebill will also be a physical education instructor.
