Where Are They Now: Brian Bach
10/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 18, 2010
This article was originally published in Gold Rush.
In each issue of Gold Rush, Where Are They Now features former Wake Forest student-athletes. This issue highlights former baseball player, Brian Bach. A pitcher who was known as a tough competitor, Brian was looked upon as a leader on the pitching staff.
When did you graduate from Wake Forest?
2005
What was your major and/or minor?
Communications
What does being a Demon Deacon mean to you?
It means more to me than being just an alumni or former student-athlete. Being a Demon Deacon is truly like being a member of an extended family. The people I met while at Wake and the coaches and staff that are still there are people that I consider great friends and family.
Why are you still involved in Wake Forest Athletics?
I will always be involved with Wake Forest Athletics. It has been such a large part of my life and who I am now, that I think it's impossible not to be involved as a fan and Deacon Club member. I started as a fan growing up in Winston-Salem and being a student-athlete just sealed my love for Wake Forest. Giving back, maintaining relationships with other alumni/coaches/staff, and being a fan of all the current teams and athletes is something that I enjoy and will always be important to me.
Why do you feel it is important to give back to the University?
The biggest reason is because so much was first given to me. To get a world-class education, play college baseball, and develop skills that helped me get a great career after college was the opportunity of a lifetime. Now I want to invest back into Wake Forest and to help them continue providing the same opportunities for other student-athletes. Wake Forest invested in me, and now I enjoy the opportunity to hopefully return the favor as much as I can.
What is your current occupation?
I work in software sales for Microsoft in the San Francisco Bay Area. I cover several of our large Enterprise customers including Chevron, McKesson, Kaiser Permanente, and GAP.
What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest?
My favorite memory is absolutely about the people. I met many of my best friends while at Wake Forest and am still close to many of my former teammates and classmates. The people are what made the experience so special and are by far the highlight of my 4 years.
What makes you most proud of Wake Forest?
While Wake's success on the field is certainly important, I think what makes me the most proud is the way in which we do it. Wake does a great job of balancing winning while continually stressing academics, character, class, and community involvement. Wake has produced a ton of great professional athletes, but so many more go on to great things after sports, and I think that is a direct reflection on the great atmosphere Wake Forest has created for student-athletes. All the way from hiring great coaches and administrators to recruiting the right athletes, I think Wake Forest has one of the most successful and well-rounded programs in the country.
When you come back to Wake Forest, you always...
I am born and raised in Winston-Salem, so I am fortunate to be back more than most. Whenever I am in town, I always try to catch at least one game and stop by the offices to see how everybody is doing. I have a couple of good friends that work in the Athletic Department now, so it is always good to see them.
I was there when...
Field Hockey won 3 straight National Championships, Basketball was ACC regular season champs for the first time in 40 years, Jim Grobe was hired, and baseball still played on campus! (I am really excited for all of the renovations that are happening to the new stadium, and I think that it is great for the baseball program. It is going to be a first class baseball facility, and I can't wait to see the finished product.)
Who is your favorite coach at Wake Forest, current or past?
I had the opportunity to play for a lot of really great coaches, but one that really stood out for me was Chris Sinacori. Sinacori was the pitching coach my senior year and really helped me work through a shoulder injury and get the most out of my final season. It wasn't the best year for me/us statistically, but Sina consistently got the best out of the pitching staff and me and made the year one of the most fulfilling during my time at Wake.