Brien Crowder coaching at Scrimmage game at Rhea County High School ins Summer 2022.
County Schools Athletic Director for Rhea County Will Coach Boys' Basketball
6/28/22
Evensville, TN -- Brien Crowder has been named head basketball coach at Rhea County High School, replacing the outgoing John Walker. Brien, who was hired as the Athletic Director for All Rhea County Schools in 2021, now will also coach boys' basketball. Crowder returns to coach the Eagles again after coaching the Eagles back in 2000's. Brien won 90 games in 4 seasons at Rhea County, before leaving for Antioch High School coaching job for 2005-2006 season. Some of the players on his teams at Rhea County were Tim Cooper, who transferred from Cleveland, Zach Hyatte, Corey Gillisppe, Raymond Floyd, James Garmany and Greg Roberttson Jr. In his last season, the team made sub-state and lost to Wilson Central in Mufreesboro in March 2004, by 63-47 score. That was one of two post season trips to state. The other was back in 1985 and the coach was Larry Eastman, who is on staff with Rhea County. That team lost to eventual state champion Whitehaven, who only lost one game that year.
On his 2022-23 staff will be Larry Eastman, Jess Bodner and Eric Baird. Baird and Eastman are familiar to Rhea County fans, while Bodner comes from out west, having played at Montana State and will bring youth to the staff as he is only 24.
Crowder runs a high octane offense and will be pressing on defense. He has a large roster for the summer. Early results have been very encouring with several impressive wins in summer scrimmage games.
Crowder has coached basketball for 39 years at the high school and junior college levels. He won a state high school basketball title in Arizona and also led Northland Pioneer Community College to the state’s junior college championship. Before returning to Rhea County, Crowder had been coaching in Florida. He coached golf, basketball and softball during his time in Florida.
In Arizona, Crowder's Monument Valley team won the Class 3A high school state championship. While coaching Northland Pioneer Community College, Crowder won the Arizona junior college championship. He also coached at a junior college in Savannah, Ga.
Over the years, Crowder has coached baseball, tennis, track and cross country, softball golf and basketball. The Johnson City, Tenn., native also has been an athletic director at high school and college level in the past,
When coaching at Immokalee High softball he Crowder walked away with $234,000 cashing in Thursday night on the NBC game show, "Deal or No Deal. He came close to winning $500,000.
In 2011 Crowder went 22-9 at Immokalee High School in Florida and earned "Coach of the Year" First winning season since 2002. more wins than in previous 18 seasons at Immokalee.
In high school he, played on Elvin Little's 1976 State Tournament team at science Hill. After graduation, he played two years at Wofford before finishing up his basketball career and college degree at Milligan, where he played for Phil Worrell.
Brien's team won Bristol’s college national little college national championship in 1985-86. They beat nba hall of famer Paul Westphal's. team in semi finals and defeated highly ranked NAIA school Carson Newman that year.
Crowder began his coaching career in the Boys Club Parks and Recreation program at age 17. Crowder has extensive experience coaching in four decades. Several players expressed their excitement with Brien and the direction the team was going. This summer, the team played a fast and furious pace with over 30 varsity games as well as junior varsity and freshman games. The team played at several sites and even went to Western Kencucky to play against some stiff competition. The were very successful with 30 wins, which shows promise for the fall.
Crowder said, "I am very excited and wish this was Fall and not summer. I am ready to continue our momentum we have now."