There was never any doubt in freshman Brett Brocoff’s mind that he wanted to play college baseball. Brocoff started his baseball career playing T-ball in Irvine, California. Starting at 5 years old, Brocoff worked all the way up to join the University of Utah baseball team.
Born in Newport Beach, Brocoff lived in California until he was about 8 years old when his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where they have remained since. The Brocoff family, a mere six hours away, manages to travel to see their only son play the sport he loves.
Both of Brocoff’s parents played sports in high school, but let their sports careers end there. Brocoff believes playing a college sport not only fulfills his dream but lets his parents, in a way, live vicariously through him. Brocoff is not the only athlete in his family. His 14-year-old sister gives Brocoff a run for his money for the position of sportiest Brocoff.
“My sister, three or four years from now, may have me beat,” Brocoff said.
For now, Brocoff keeps the title. He also holds multiple awards such as 2017 4A Southern Nevada Player of the Year at Desert Oasis High School. Though, baseball is not always about winning for Brocoff.
“[Baseball is] fun,” Brocoff said. “I’ve always been a big fan of being part of a team and baseball was the only sport I was ever any good at, so I decided to just play that one. And I get along with the guys well.”
It has always been the team effort drawing Brocoff into sports. Looking back on his favorite memories of playing the game, Little League was one of the first to come to mind.
“Little League All-Stars, you got to play with all your friends in club ball and against all your friends from club ball and it was just a great time,” Brocoff said.
When Brocoff was recruited by associate head coach Mike Crawford, it was an opportunity Brocoff could not pass up. Already looking to go to the U, Brocoff came up to visit campus as a junior in high school on an academic visit. Another aspect drawing Brocoff to Utah was the Business Scholars program which had a recruiting event in Las Vegas.
“I went to [the recruiting event] and just loved the people and the program has been great so far,” Brocoff said.
As a business scholar, Brocoff is currently studying business administration but he plans to go into finance, a path he is still figuring out.
Whatever Brocoff does, his ultimate goal is to be successful, and the biggest driving force in his life to accomplish that is Brocoff’s grandfather.
“Not so much on the sports side,” Brocoff explained about his grandfather. “But as a person. He seems to do everything right, it’s good to just kind of look up to him and ask him for help when you need it.”
Brocoff struggled through his junior year, as stress from classes and sports swirled together, a simple phone call to a grandparent was just what Brocoff needed.
“I was taking some hard classes and just wasn’t sure if it was for me,” said Brocoff. “I called [my grandpa] and he kind of just reminded me, ‘If you quit, you’ll never get another chance.’ [He] was a huge help.”
Now taking 15 credit hours, playing baseball and participating in Business Scholars, Brocoff’s stress turns to motivation.
“I just want to be successful, you know, in whatever I do,” Brocoff said. “I hate failure. Whatever happens with baseball or life, or whatever, I’m just trying to do the best I can.”
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