Brookhaven’s Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Tommy Clopton recently announced the hiring of Bobby Bass as the Ole Brook Panthers’ defensive coordinator and Mike Powell as the new assistant football coach.

Bobby Bass, 38, left Clinton after serving four seasons as the Arrows defensive coordinator to move closer to home as he accepted defensive coordinator duties at Ole Brook.

“Brookhaven is a great place to raise a family,” said Bass. “My wife (Tiffany) grew up here and we could not pass up this opportunity to move back home. We are looking forward to raising our family in a small town atmosphere.”

Bass, a Natchez native, is a 14-year coaching veteran. In his coaching stints, he spent three years as the defensive coordinator at JZ George High School, two years as the linebackers coach at Newton County, four years at the linebackers coach at Tupelo, one year as the strength and condition coach at Montgomery and four years as the defensive coordinator at Clinton.

Bass and his wife, Tiffany, have three girls: Caroline (8), Anna Reese (5) and Lilly Grace (1).

“We are excited to have Coach Bass and his family join the Ole Brook community,” said Clopton. “He brings with him a lot of experience as a defensive coordinator and he has already built a great relationship with our players.”

Mike Powell, 37,  is no stranger to the Brookhaven Panthers campus and community. Powell returns home as the Ole Brook’s new assistant football coach after serving three seasons as the head coach at Parklane Academy.

“It is great to able to return home to coach at Brookhaven,” said Powell. “This is our home and this is where we live. Brookhaven is a great place to live and work.

“I would like thank Parklane Academy for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow as a head coach,” continued Powell. “I really enjoyed my time there and I appreciated everybody’s hard work and efforts,”

Prior to accepting the assistant coach position at Brookhaven, Powell worked at Lawrence County from January to May as a teacher and assistant football coach.

Powell served as an offensive line coach for Brookhaven in 2005 through 2010. He was the Ole Brook’s offensive coordinator in 2011. His other coaching stint was at Franklinton High, La. from 2001 to 2004.

Powell is married to Rachel. She is the speech therapist at Mamie Martin. They have two girls: Kennedy (7) and Cecile (2).

“We are glad to have the opportunity to bring Coach Powell back to Brookhaven,” said Clopton. “He was a part of some very successful years in the football program in the past and he has a strong desire to help us build on those successes.”