Q&A: Aikman among youth coach's heroes

Bradley Mitchell coaches the Cubs Little League baseball team and serves at the athletic coordinator at Portales Junior High School.

Born and raised in Portales, Mitchell graduated from Eastern New Mexico University and taught history at PJHS for nine years before switching over to physical education this year. His wife Erin works as a kindergarten teacher at Brown Elementary. They have a 10-year-old son Brent, and a 7-year-old daughter Casyn.

What is the best part about teaching kids sports?

I like seeing them improve and learn to work hard. If a kid can learn to work hard and have a passion for something, the sky is the limit.

Jillian Holbert: Portales News-Tribune

Bradley Mitchell gives advice to his Little League baseball team. Mitchell has been playing and watching sports his entire life.

What is a little league game that stands out to you?

Its not so much a game as it is a team that stands out to me. I played Big League when I was 16, 17 and 18 years old. We won district and state and made it to the championship game at regionals three years in a row. Even though we never quite won the championship, we are all still friends today and have been friends since we were little.

We played our whole lives together. It's a very close group of guys.

Who are some of your sports heroes?

Cal Ripken Jr. was the man. He never took a day off and he was a class act. You never heard anything bad about him.

Nolan Ryan was a great pitcher and he was tough. He threw gas longer than anyone else in the game. Even at 40 years old, he was throwing it by people.

Chipper Jones was huge for my Braves for nearly 20 years. He was great from both sides of the plate, and he loves to hunt. It don't get much better than that.

Troy Aikman has to be on that list too. One of the great Cowboys of all time and again, you never heard anything bad about him. A class act.

If you could have dinner with any four players or team managers, who would they be and why?

Longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox was one of the most successful coaches in the show for over 20 years. As a coach, I'd love any insight he'd be willing to give.

Cal Ripken Jr. because when I was 9 or 10 years old, I sent him a typical little kid letter about how he was my favorite player. He sent me back a hand-written letter and a signed post card with his picture on it. How many guys today would do that for a kid?

Greg Maddux because I would love to talk pitching with the guy.

Babe Ruth would have to be there too. Who wouldn't want to talk to the guy who hit the most home runs in the history of the game without using steroids?

Which major league baseball team would you play for and why?

I would play for the Atlanta Braves. Heck, I'd rake the field for them just to be involved.