Diamond Sports Coaching Staff
Pat Harrison | Kevin Downing | Keith Horn | Devin Hurt | Kaci Landers | JJ Meadors | Boyd Goodner | Mike Campbell | Bryan Jones
One of the owners and the Director of Instruction for Diamond Sports, Pat Harrison, has spent the majority of his professional life immersed in the world of American baseball. Starting with his days of being a two-time ‘Sporting News All American’ and NCAA Division I National Champion in 1968, Pat launched a career that began with him playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers Organization to being a Dodger hitting instructor just before he retired. In between those points in his life, he spent 28 years in collegiate coaching positions achieving 3 NCAA National Championships, 11 Division I League Championships and 16 All American Titles. While at Pepperdine University, he was named the West Coast Athletic Conference’s “Coach of the Year”. Coach Harrison has also spent years directing camps and clinics for both players and coaches. Most recently he has been instructing and mentoring players at Competitive Edge Sports Academy in Little Rock. In his personal time, he remains active in community programs and as a public speaker.
Kevin Downing began his coaching career as an assistant at Texarkana’s Arkansas High School where his team won the 4A State Championship in 1994 and appeared in the finals in both 1995 and 1996. He was the Head Baseball Coach at Mills High School from 1997-2001. Under Downing’s direction, the Comets won a State Championship and qualified for the state tournament 3 other times. From 2002-2006, he served as the Head Coach at the University of Arkansas – Monticello. During that time, he finished second in career wins at the school, and his 2005 team set a school record for overall wins, Gulf South Conferences wins, and GSC tournament wins. Downing served as Head Coach of the Amsterdam Mohawks of the New York Collegiate League in 2008. He has been an instructor for the Stanford University Baseball Camp, the University of Kansas All-Star Baseball Camp, and Competitive Edge Sports Academy in Little Rock.
Keith Horn’s baseball career began at Pine Bluff High School, where he received several honors and represented the United States on the Silver Medal World Junior Olympics Team. He was the starting pitcher for Arkansas State University in Jonesboro for three years before being drafted by the Cleveland Indians Organization in 1995. After playing for the Indians Organization for three seasons, Horn has remained active in community baseball. He has been an instructor at the University of Arkansas Norm DeBryn Baseball Camps, the Mountain Valley Sports Center in Pine Bluff, and Competitive Edge Sports Academy.
Devin Hurt has been a part of the Bryant Athletic Association for 11 years. During that time, he was a part of 13 district/conference championships, 4 state championships, 1 regional championship, and competed in the 2007 American Legion World Series. He was also named MVP of the 2007 Tournament of Champions held in Alton, Illinois, and the 2007 American Legion State Tournament. After graduating from Bryant High School, he played shortstop for Henderson State University for two years before transferring to the University of Arkansas – Little Rock where he is currently pursuing a degree in kinesiology.
Kaci Landers played fastpitch softball in high school in Missouri where she was named Co-Player of the Year as a junior and Player of the Year as a senior. After graduating, she was recruited by North Arkansas College in Harrison. As the starting pitcher for the Lady Pioneers, Kaci was clocked at 67 mph. She has played for the Bryant Express ladies’ softball team for three years. She will be giving fastpitch and softball hitting lessons at Diamond Sports.
JJ Meadors is a graduate of the University of Arkansas, where he was a two-sport student athlete. While attending the UA, under the leadership of the legendary coach John McDonald, he was a member of two Triple-Crown National Championship Track and Field teams. In 1994 he earned All-SEC Track & Field honors as a member of the Razorback 4 X100m relay team. As a member of the Razorback Football team, Meadors was a four-year letter winner, which included a streak of 35 straight games started with at least one reception in each. Meadors completed his career with 132 Career receptions, at that time a school record. He is the current University of Arkansas record holder for receptions with 62 receptions (69 including bowl). Meadors, a USA Track & Field Certified Speed instructor, began training athletes in the Dallas Metroplex in 2000, and since has continued to work with top athletes in Central Arkansas. His experience as an athlete, combined with his USATF training provides athletes in Central Arkansas the ability to compete at a national level.
Boyd Goodner played high school baseball for Benton High School from 1998-2000. He won back-to-back state championships with Benton American Legion in 1999 and 2000, both years being awarded the Most Valuable Pitcher of the state. He was also awarded 2000 Pitcher of the Year for Arkansas. Boyd signed with Pratt Community College in Kansas where he played from 2000-2002 before signing with the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2003. As a Razorback, Boyd led the team in ERA for both 2003 (2.67) and 2004 (1.50, 4th lowest ever for a season in Razorback history). He was also awarded the win against Florida State in the 2004 Super Regional and participated in the 2004 College World Series. Boyd will be giving pitching lessons.
Mike Campbell played high school and American Legion baseball in Bryant. He was a three year starting pitcher for Henderson State University from 1983-1986. During his career at HSU, he received All-Conference and All-Region honors twice. He also holds several HSU career records. Most recently, Mike has coached pitchers for the Bryant American Legion Program. Diamond Sports is pleased to announce him as a new addition to our staff.
Bryan Jones was a standout at Richland College where as catcher he saw the Thunderducks finish 2nd at the JUCO World Series in Batavia, New York. Jones received All-Region Honors and All-Tournament Honors at the World Series. From Richland, Jones moved to Ouachita Baptist University where he was voted to the All Gulf South Conference Team for his work behind the plate. Coach Jones served as a graduate assistant for two years at OBU and saw the Tigers reach the GSC tournament for the first time in school history. Since then Jones has coached at Benton High School and Pulaski Academy. Jones also serves as the Head Coach of the Arkansas Baseball Academy, a fall program that promotes Central Arkansas players to the region’s college coaches each fall. He joins the Diamond Sports staff as a hitting and catching coach.
