Humble, enthusiastic, committed and a drive to push every Cosumnes River College baseball player to play superlatively. This is the perfect description of the Hawks assistant baseball coach and former Oakland Athletics pitcher Brad Kilby.

Kilby was born in Modesto and graduated Laguna Creek High School in Elk Grove, Calif. in 2001. He then went to San Jose State University to play college baseball with a scholarship to play baseball for them.

Kilby played with many minor league baseball teams such as the Vancouver Canadians, Kane County Cougars, Stockton Ports, Midland RockHounds and the the local minor league team the Sacramento River Cats. He played exceptionally well when playing for the River Cats.

In 2008 while playing with the River Cats, he pitched 3.50 ERA in nine games, the next season in 2009 he pitched 2.1 ERA in 45 games.

Kilby was drafted by the Oakland Athletics, a professional Major League Baseball team in 2005. Kilby began his professional debut in 2009 against the Kansas City Royals.

Unfortunately, due to a shoulder injury, he had to retire.

“I had tore my labrum. There’s a low percentage of guys come back from this injury, about 15 percent,” Kilby said. “I was never able to come back. That’s why I came into coaching.”

Kilby has been coaching the Hawks baseball team since last season.

“This year we are looking to ride the ship, get back in the state champion. That’s our goal.” Kilby said.

“I think he is a very good pitching coach, and he will not stay at our level long,” said Head Coach Tony Bloomfield. “He will be at the next level, or division one, pretty soon.”

Bloomfield has known Kilby since he attended Laguna Creek High School. He recruited him in high school and then later, when Kilby retired, Bloomfield asked if he would like to coach at CRC.

Kilby often uses his professional experience during practice to help improve the players.

“He shows up everyday, and helps us get the ball down and throw more strikes,” said pitcher John Knerl, 20, a biology major. “He always tells us stories and relates them to what needs to be related to.”

Kilby has coached at Franklin High School, and has recruited many players to the baseball team at CRC.

Kyle Von Ruden, a 19-year-old pitcher for the CRC Hawks, has been coached by Kilby since he attended Franklin High School.

“He’s a nice guy, gives me a lot of confidence all the time. It’s always good to hear from him,” Von Ruden said.

Every player that was asked about Kilby had nothing but nice and sincere words to say about him.

“He is a great asset to the coaching staff, he brings a lot to the teams as a ex-pro. He helps the pitcher a lot with mechanics,” said Second Baseman Mason Watkins, 20, a business major. “He is a big motivator on the team, gets the guys going. He gets us up when we are down.”