Sean Heffernan is ready for the next challenge in his career.
After more than a decade as a teacher at West Florence and coach in the Pee Dee, Heffernan joined the Pittsburgh Pirates scouting department as a full-time area supervisor for North and South Carolina.
“It was difficult to leave,” said Heffernan, whose last day at West Florence was Tuesday. “But I felt it was like an opportunity I had to try and take advantage of. It was hard leaving the school and students but I am excited about this new opportunity.”
Heffernan worked as a part-time scout under Greg Shields last year. But Shields was promoted within the organization, leaving an opening.
Shields approached Heffernan a couple years ago when he was an assistant coach at Francis Marion about becoming a scout.
“I went to a three-day scouting development school (in 2009) and it went well and they offered me a part-time position,” said Heffernan, who still will live in Florence.
Heffernan’s main responsibilities are scouting draft-eligible players throughout the Carolinas and reporting to his supervisors so they can come and watch the player.
Heffernan said three players that he and Shields scouted were drafted by the organization last year.
“A lot of the scouts, we see the same guy, so hopefully you come across that guy that not too many people know about and you give them an opportunity to play professional baseball,” Heffernan said. “It’s a lot like college recruiting.”
And much like recruiting, thousands of hours will be spent on the road. Heffernan said he traveled almost 20,000 miles on the road last year as a part-time scout. He was on the road Tuesday at two scouting showcases and will be attending a showcase in Chapel Hill, N.C., over the weekend.
Baseball always has been a big part of Heffernan’s life. A native of Flushing, N.Y., Heffernan said he used to walk to New York Mets games.
Heffernan also played baseball in high school and collegiately at Coker from 1994-98 where he earned all-conference honors playing shortstop for the Cobras.
After college, Heffernan landed at West Florence where he was a JV coach and varsity baseball assistant from 1999-2003. He was an assistant at Florence-Darlington Tech from 2004-05 before coaching at FMU from 2006-10.
Heffernan also was an assistant and head coach for the Florence RedWolves from 2004-06.
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