Q&A With Reed Brown
Reed Brown recently concluded his collegiate career with Oregon State after coming to the program in 2005 from Edmonds Woodway High School in Washington. He appeared in six games for the Beavers, earning letters in three seasons. He was one of nine seniors who was recognized for their contributions to the OSU program on May 25, the Beavers’ final game of the 2008 season.
Brown recently sat down with to reflect on his Oregon State career.
OSU: What stands out to you from your years here at OSU?
Reed Brown: “Obviously the success of the team has been good. To come here as a freshman and win Pac-10 my first year was outstanding. With success from following seasons, the guys I’ve got to meet and play with have been really fun and just to be able to say I was a part of the most successful year here at Oregon State is definitely pretty cool.”
OSU: How has the program changed since when you arrived here until your last game?
RB: “There has been a lot of respect. Being recognized when you say you play for OSU, people know where that is on the map now. That transition from freshman to now is pretty cool.”
OSU: It can be said that the 2008 senior class was one of the more successful in Oregon State history. What is it like to know you were a part of that class?
RB: “Whatever we’ve done hasn’t necessarily been to try to be successful for anybody else except the team. Whatever work that we put in can hopefully go on to the next class for the players who come in. It’s nice that people are recognizing the hard work we have put in over the years.”
OSU: How special was it for you to be on the third base line with the eight other guys who were going to be in their last games as well?
RB: “It was nice to be recognized. I didn’t have the opportunity to be on the field too much, but being out there with eight other brothers was pretty cool. Being out there with my stepdad was fun and all the other parents. It was fun to hear our names before the game because we probably won’t be seeing those guys from here on out, depending on the different routes we take. The best memory from that day was being able to hang out with those eight other guys and have their families be proud of us and seeing how far we have all come together.”
OSU: What does Coach Casey and the rest of the coaching staff mean to you?
RB: “Coach Casey, since my freshman year, has always been talking about what it takes to be a man and what it takes to be successful on and off the field. I tried to take a lot of that to heart by sucking it up on the field but also off the field by getting my responsibilities done and trying to be a good role model. I wanted to live up to his expectations of becoming a better person, not only on the baseball field, but in life. He’s been helpful with that and motivating myself and other players. I tried being the best man I could be with the four years I was here. The other coaches have been great; they’ve been successful and really supportive and easy to talk to, and that’s what I really liked about the program.”
OSU: How do you want the Oregon state fans to remember you?
RB: “That I was a person who worked really hard and maybe wasn’t someone who had numbers that were as eye catching as other players, but as someone who came out every day and tried to work hard to get better. And just as a good person to have on the team and who was a good role model to have for the Oregon State baseball team.”
