NJCAA Insider - February 2018
REGION 23
Spanning across Louisiana and Mississippi, Region23 is steered by Brent Harris (women’s director) and Jim Southward (men’s director), while Dolores Deasley (women’s assistant director) and Jeff Willis (men’s assistant director) add their expertise in the region.
A closer look at Jim Southward – Region 23 Men’s Director
Jim Southward is a former NJCAA athlete who played football at Northeast Mississippi and has been the Director of Activities for the Mississippi Community College Job Board overseeing all athletics in the state. Jim has also spent 24 years coaching football at various levels, including high school, junior college, and senior college level.
When he’s not working, Jim enjoys fishing, reading, and spending time at the beach and with his family.
A closer look at Brent Harris – Region 23 Women’s Director
Brent Harris is back for his sixth season as head coach of the women’s basketball team at Southwest Mississippi.
Harris has helped move 15 players onto the four-year level. In addition, he has directed the Lady Bears to the Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges (MACJC) state playoffs in four of his first five years on the job and has made three trips to the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.
Harris’ 2016-17 squad finished with an 18-9 record and advanced to the finals of the MACJC state tournament. In addition, the team was ranked 1st in the NJCAA in points allowed per game.
All seven sophomore members of the 2015-16 team (including student assistants) graduated and all five of the sophomore players signed a scholarship to continue their collegiate career with a four-year school. During the year, the Lady Bears were 5th in the NJCAA in points allowed per game and Alissa Adam ranked 5th in assists per game.
The Lady Bears have excelled in the classroom under Harris’ tenure with numerous NJCAA and MACJC team and individual academic honors. Six members of the 2016-17 squad received academic honors from the NJCAA and MACJC. The Lady Bears have been named a NJCAA All-Academic Team in four of the past five years and were the MACJC Academic Team of the Year in 2012-13.
A native of Jackson, TN, Harris is a 1995 graduate of Lambuth University where he received bachelor degrees in Business Administration and Science. While at Lambuth, Harris was a member of the Eagles’ basketball and baseball teams.
He began his coaching career at University School (Jackson, TN) where he spent the 1995-96 season as the assistant coach for the boy's basketball team. He followed that with three years (1996-1999) as an assistant for the men’s and women’s teams at Lambuth where he helped the school reach the NAIA tournament and helped coach five NAIA All-Americans.
Harris then moved to Southeastern in 2002 where he remained until beginning his tenure with the Lady Bears. While with the Lady Lions, he helped them to an East Division title in the Southland Conference.
Harris and wife Krista are the parents of a son, Max, and a daughter, Kate.
When asked the following questions, this is what Jim and Brent had to say:
Why do you recommend the NJCAA to student athletes?
Jim: The NJCAA is all about second chances. It gives young men and women an opportunity to develop as an individual and as an athlete. It provides a second chance for a student-athlete to get their academics in order, or to showcase their talent if perhaps they were not recruited.
Brent: The NJCAA is a great way for student-athletes to transition from high school to college life.
What do you enjoy the most about being a Region Director?
Jim: The opportunity to develop relationships with the athletic staff of each of the colleges and in some cases the student-athletes. Also, to help impact the colleges within our region in a positive way and to help ensure their success.
Brent: Helping other coaches in other sports achieve success for our region.
What do you enjoy most about the NJCAA?
Jim: The opportunities it provides to our student-athletes, to watch them have success, and to see them down the road as a successful individual in our society.
Brent: Meeting the other region directors and representatives from across the nation.
Tell us something special about your region
Jim: Our region is comprised of 19 schools from two states and we have both DI and DII sports with rules which vary from state to state as well as rules which vary within different institutions. This of course makes things extremely interesting to coordinate at times.
Brent: Region 23 is successful in a wide range of athletics. This success is achieved with an abundance of local products.
What is your favorite sport and why?
Jim: Football has always been a passion. I enjoyed playing, coaching, and now just enjoy watching.
Brent: Well I am a women's basketball coach, so obviously my favorite sport is women's basketball. But I have enjoyed serving on the softball committee.