10b
Today in Mississippi
March 2019
Achord
spends first season on staff with Patriots By Elissa Fulton nator. Judge, a Philadelphia, Penn., Cameron Achord is no stranger to native, had played football at Mississippi Magnolia Electric Power. His father, State University. Although Cameron Aaron Achord, is the Manager of only worked with him a short time, Engineering, and Cameron grew up Judge went on to accept a job in the learning about the cooperative and how New England Patriots organization, but it serves the members of the community. Cameron kept in touch and fostered the He went to Brookhaven Academy where relationship for several years after the he played six sports during his senior two met. year. He played baseball, soccer, basketAfter the graduate assistant internship ball, ran cross country and ran track. But was over, Cameron went to work for growing up in a die-hard LSU family, Southwest Mississippi Community his passion was always football. College (SMCC) as a recruiting coordiCameron was a receiver and played nator and a special teams coordinator, defensive back for the Brookhaven where he coached the receivers and the Academy Cougars and went on to tight ends for the SMCC Bears in Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss., Summit, Miss. During his last two years where he played defense there, he was the offenand free safety on the sive coordinator where college team. He knew he coached the quarterhe wanted to work in backs and running the sports industry and backs. went to college with This year, Cameron broadcasting in mind. received a call early in After he tore ligaments the season that changed in his ankle, he was everything. His profesgiven the opportunity sional relationship with to work closer with the Judge recommenced coaches, even coaching when he was asked to some after his injury. interview for the assisAchord with the Vince Lombardi trophy That’s when he knew tant special teams coorafter the Patriots Super Bowl victory he wanted to coach against the Rams. Photo courtesy of the dinator with the New players as a career. England Patriots when New England Patriots/Eric J. Adler Cameron went on to the position opened. earn bachelor’s degrees in Computer “Relationships are important, and it’s Science and Sports Administration. He all about the first impressions we give worked his way through college working that make a difference,” said Cameron. summers at Magnolia Electric Power in “I kept a really good relationship with the staking department and even spent Joe through the years. We stayed in some time assisting a crew from North touch, and he brought me up for an Carolina as a foreman’s guide after interview earlier this year.” Hurricane Katrina devastated much of After a quick meeting, Cameron the Southeast. found himself packing up everything to After he graduated from Belhaven, he move to Massachusetts in early April. assumed a graduate assistant position “I took the job on a Monday, and I with the Golden Eagles football team at was there [Massachusetts] on Wednesday the University of Southern Mississippi in starting work,” said Cameron. “I had Hattiesburg. It was there that he met Joe about 24 hours to move up there and Judge, who was the special teams coordi- get started.”
Achord during a practice with the Patriots. Photo courtesy of the New England Patriots/David Silverman.
recruiting. “These days, people are on their phones 24/7, and if you are not talking to the players from high school, someone else is,” he said. “I spent so much time on the phone at the college level and now I never have to learn to play Fortnite.” Although Cameron was modest about his Super Bowl experience, he admitted that it was Achord reviewing plays with Patriots players during practice. certainly a great experience. Photo courtesy of the New England Patriots/Eric J. Adler. “There are so many coaches and players that will never expeCameron has been very humble about rience this their whole career, even starting a job in the NFL with the though they may be great. This is not Patriots organization, and especially something that happens every day. You about the Patriots recent Super Bowl have to accept it, enjoy it and move on. LIII win against the Los Angeles Rams on February 3. With the Patriots organi- I tried not to look around because I did not want the anxization, he works hand-in-hand with ety to get to Judge coaching six units of me. I took it in teams. “ during the “The easiest way to pregame while say it, any time the are important, and it’s all throwing the ball is kicked, ball around with that’s the teams about the the other coaches. we are coachwe give that But once you step ing,” said on that field, you’ve Cameron. .” really got to block “You have - Cameron Achord everything else out and kickoff, kickfocus on the game. Focus on off return, what you have to do, and really try punt and punt return and field goal and field goal block not to make it bigger than it is.” As for Cameron’s life in New team. Those are the six different units England, he is really adjusting to life in we are coaching.” the North and has managed to miss the The main coaching differences that Cameron has found between junior col- harsh winter so far. For now, he’s about to focus on starting the new 2020 season lege and the NFL are on the recruiting while the team waits on their Super end. While he spent a lot of time keepBowl LIII rings. Only time will tell if ing up with trends of high school stuthe Patriots will step on the field for dents, he spent the majority of his time talking on the phone late each night for Super Bowl LIV in Miami.
Relationships
first impressions make a difference