BROOKHAVEN — It might be a few weeks after The Masters but Lance Newman gripped a golf club and took practice shots with foam golf balls on Noble Drive, close to where The Dart landed Thursday. One of his sons swung a baseball bat and another son waited on him to take him to the gym. 

Newman is a father of three kids, two sons and a daughter. He is a native of Brookhaven and graduated from Loyd Star. After high school, he went to Copiah-Lincoln Community College before going to Troy University in Troy, Alabama. 

In 2000, he was named to the Academic All-American team at Co-Lin where he played baseball. From 1998 to 2000, Newman said he made a lot of great memories there. 

“Coach Case, Co-Lin and the team were the best years of my life. We went to the Junior College World Series with them,” Newman said. “We had a bunch of great guys. I happened to be on the team. I was very lucky to be a part of it. We had one guy get drafted and every other person on the field with me played Division 1. It was just a good fun group.” 

His friends in college introduced him to the game of golf and he has played it ever since. It is fun to play with friends and frustrating at the same time. Newman’s baseball career ended after college and he had to “grow up,” by pursuing a career in the medical field. 

Medical school took him all the way out to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Weather was poor at times but he enjoyed being around the people, Penguins, Pirates and Steelers. He left Pittsburg to move to Brandon before finally coming home to Brookhaven seven years ago.

Newman works as an anesthesia nurse at KDMC. He pursued anesthesia in school because it interested him the most and seemed to be the most fun. Medical work was not the only reason he moved back home. 

“Family brought me home. My wife was pregnant with our third child and it was time to come home. Brookhaven has not changed much,” he said. “I also own BeeHive, Tropical Smoothie and Zaxbys. I wanted to open up businesses and raise my children here.” 

His days start by taking his kids to the Jiu Jitsu gym at 5:30 a.m. before he has to be at work at 6:30 a.m. After he gets off work, he coaches the Moyer Warriors in baseball practice. His oldest son wants to workout in the afternoons so Newman will take him to the gym. 

Life as a dad is “the best thing,” he said. Responsibilities keep him busy — not just his kids but his businesses. The BeeHive Homes are assisted living homes in Brookhaven located on West Congress Street in Brookhaven. Newman also owns the Brookhaven franchise of Tropical Smoothie and Zaxbys and is grateful for the support locally.

“It takes a lot of great people. I have met lots of great people who have supported me and believed in what I was trying to do especially with my businesses,” Newman said. “The people willing to invest with me I couldn’t have done it without them. Brookhaven is so supportive too. I can’t say enough good things about them. They are overwhelmingly supportive.”