Jeff Brown, the new Boys Basketball coach at NFA, is turning his high school memories into a reality. By combining his past as an NFA graduate with coaching skills he has built in the present, Brown is hoping to create an exciting link between the team’s history and its bright future.

A 1995 graduate of NFA, Brown reflected on his experience as a basketball player, saying, “It was a good experience, I got to play quite a bit, I had some good friendships on the team that still last up to this day so it was a good experience.” Brown was coached at NFA by Duke Campbell who was not only his coach but also his economics teacher during Brown’s Senior year. In the 1994-1995 basketball season, Norwich Free Academy (NFA) reached the state quarterfinals, which was a major achievement for the NFA Boys Basketball team. During Brown’s Junior year, they were Co-ECC champions. In Brown’s Senior year, the team racked up 21 wins. Brown’s fondest memories of his high school basketball experience include hanging out with his friends; after practice, they would head to McDonalds together, creating special moments that are still remembered to this day. 

Reflecting on what being the Head Coach at his alma mater means to him, Brown said it “Means the world to me, growing up I played here at NFA and I always wanted to come back and coach here at Norwich Free Academy, and now it’s my chance, so I’m super excited.” 

Brown has quite a bit of experience: he’s been coaching for almost 23 years and has 13 years of head coaching experience at the high school level. Brown feels that those 23 years of experience will help him lead his team to success.. “I think it will definitely benefit me because the new coach feeling is kind of not there, I’ve kind of been through a couple of games and seasons, played some of the competition that we’re going to play this year so I’m familiar with a lot of coaches and referees there, so I’m very comfortable.” 

The NFA Boys Basketball team has two captains: Seniors Malachy Murray and Camron Barboza. Captains Murray and Barboza influence the team by showing a high level of commitment and hard work. The captains are excited about the idea of their new coach being a NFA graduate, with Barboza noting, “Our last coach was actually… from New London, so it’s always an off-vibe especially, when we played them, I felt like he kind of…didn’t care if we won that game. There was no passion when we played New London so it’s nice to have someone who really cares about NFA.” Murray added, “I feel good, I had (Coach) Brown for freshman year; he was my freshman coach, now he’s my varsity coach, it feels good because he’s connected with the school, he was a graduate, he went to college and now he’s coaching, so I feel good about my future.” 

The captains also noted a change in coaching style under Brown, with Barboza noting,  “(Brown) cares so much more about basketball in general, like he will be here at 6 AM until nine o’clock at night, going over plays and helping us. I know over the summer he was here almost every single day before school every morning. I’m running out there on the track, it was his idea to do that and (the NFA Boys Basketball program) is turning into such a better place. I definitely think he cares way more about us.” 

Murray added that the 2022-2023 team seemed to revolve around one player, “But now everybody likes everyone (and) feels included, so… it brings people together and builds chemistry.”

The players themselves have a different style this year too, with the captains noting that “We play (with) more composure. We’re not just all over the place, just running up and down the court. We actually have set plays that we know how to run and execute. The addition of the shot clock (new in Connecticut high school basketball this year) has definitely been weird for us, but we’re starting to adjust to it.” and “This year has been more fundamental. Instead of flashy plays, we work on the things that make it easier to support (each other) instead of just trying to (isolate one player), trying to get (the) pass (to) them.”

In addition to Brown, the coaching staff includes JV Coach Matt Martinez, who – like Brown – is a Physical Education teacher at NFA. Full-time substitute teacher Matthew Danieluk serves as the freshman basketball coach. Brown said he expects his assistant coaches to be role models on campus, be around, be supportive, and help the kids in every way they can, on and off the court.

Brown is excited to see upcoming players like freshmen Jamier Ford and Josh Lavoie as well as returners Keegan Johnston, Kody Jamieson, Avery Guernsey and Ethan Graham continue to grow their skills this year, and was pleased by the effort players are putting into helping the team succeed.

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