Timothy Bragg, the new Lawrence Central (LC) High School baseball coach, says he couldn’t be more pleased about his new job.
“This is my first year as the LC varsity head coach and I am extremely excited,” Bragg says. “I have previously coached JV, freshman and eighth-grade baseball teams at schools such as Lawrence North, Pike High School and Belzer Middle School. To now be a high school head coach is a wonderful opportunity for me, and it is a position that I have always coveted during my lifelong journey in the sport of baseball.”
Bragg is excited about the new LC stadium opening, and the student-athletes on the baseball team.
“It’s also exciting because I get to work alongside my lifelong friend, Bryan Foster, who is my varsity assistant coach,” Bragg says. “Foster played five seasons in professional baseball. We grew up together in Washington Township and played little league, then high school baseball together at North Central. I was the best man in his wedding. A coach is only as good as his coaching staff, and I am fortunate to have a friend and a great baseball mind like Coach Foster’s beside me in the dugout.”
Bragg can’t wait to play on the new LC baseball field.
“The township, behind the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Shawn Smith, has built a state-of-the-art, field-turf baseball diamond on the north side of the LC campus,” Bragg says. “The stadium was built from the ground up with large dugouts, spectator stands, a new concession stand and restrooms building, a press box, bullpens, two large batting tunnels, and lights for night games. It’s in a beautiful setting back in the wooded area of our campus that connects with Camp Belzer. The field-turf playing surface is sunken down below the level of the parking lot. The first game in our new stadium is scheduled for April 3, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.”
Bragg says the upcoming season is all about building a foundation that will eventually help elevate the LC baseball program back among the best in central Indiana.
“The team had a down season in 2023, but there is a lot of optimism that LC can bounce back quickly this spring,” Bragg says. “Winter workouts began in mid-December and the attendance for each workout has been great. Kids are showing up, are eager to learn, and are working hard and improving. We have a strong core group of seven or eight seniors who will lead the team in 2024. Our senior centerfielder Ahmaad Duff is one of the best high school players in Indiana and will play his college baseball at the University of Alabama next year. The team will be built around Duff and fellow seniors Bryson Luter and Nick Johnson. If we can be tough out at the plate offensively, and have our pitchers throw strikes consistently, we will be a very competitive team this spring. We also have a lot of young talent among our freshman and sophomore players.”
Bragg works across 56th Street from Lawrence Central at Belzer Middle School, where he has been teaching physical education since 2020.
“My career working in schools began at the former Craig Middle School in 2004,” Bragg says. “I left Craig Middle School when it closed in 2010 and spent the next 10 years as a PE teacher/coach in Warren Township before returning to Lawrence in 2020. Prior to teaching, I had a 12-year career in sports broadcasting. I worked at 1260 WNDE radio on Fall Creek Road for eight years out of college. I then moved to WRTV Channel 6 television in 2000, where I was a sports reporter and weekend sports anchor. Baseball has always been in my blood. I was team captain of the baseball team at the University of Indianapolis in 1991.”
Bragg says this spring marks the 20th anniversary of LC’s 2004 baseball state championship – the only state baseball title by either Lawrence high school.
“We intend to celebrate that historic season this spring by having a reunion of the players and coaches from that team at one of our home games,” Bragg says, adding that the tentative date for the reunion is April 6. We will recognize their incredible accomplishment at our new stadium in front of our home fans. That group of coaches and players will be an example to our current players of the great things that can happen through hard work and dedication.”
Comments 1
I wondered what happened to Tim Bragg after he left sports broadcasting. I enjoyed listening to him when he was on the radio. Glad he is still local and doing something he enjoys. Congratulations Tim. I grew up with a neighbor that is the baseball coach at Jasper since 1986.