Mercer trades his fungo for a golf club at Fort Mill High

Former Fort Mill High baseball coach Brad Mercer has traded in his fungo for a set of golf clubs figuratively speaking.

Mercer was recently named the new girls golf coach at Fort Mill after former coach Bryan Zulka was promoted to an assistant principal position at the school. Mercer was Fort Mill’s baseball coach for nine seasons, but stepped down after the 2016 season.

“He is former FMHS Teacher of the Year that wants to be involved helping kids outside of the classroom as well,” said Fort Mill Athletics Director Dwayne Hartsoe.

Mercer stepped away from coaching baseball to spend more time with his family, but said that coaching girls’ golf will allow him to be able to spend time with his family and coach at the same time. Mercer’s nine-year-old daughter, Caroline, got a set of clubs for Christmas and has been learning to use them. This, he said, is one way he feels like he can help her with her game and teach others as well.

“I love to teach kids and coach kids,” he said. “This allows me to be involved as well. She is excited about being able to come over and ‘help out.’”

Mercer said he knows that coaching golf will be obviously different than coaching baseball, but is looking forward to the challenge.

“With baseball you (the coach) are more in control of the game, by doing things like calling pitches, but coaching golf deals with the mental side more,” he said. “With golf, you get to see the kids be on their own more. I am excited about it.”

Because girls’ golf is a fall sport, Mercer said he is in the process of trying to put together a schedule at this point before school starts in August.