Veteran Soddy-Daisy High School coach Clifford Kirk has been selected to receive the 2003 NFHS Coach of the Year Award for the state of Tennessee in the sport of softball.
The NFHS Coaches Association if the official national coaches association of the National Federation of State High School Associations. By receiving the state award, Kirk is now nominated for the Southeast award. If he wins that award, he will become eligible for national coach of the year.
"This is the best honor I've ever received because this is through the TSSAA,'' said Kirk, who was notified by letter of the honor Thursday.
Kirk has guided Soddy-Daisy to four Class AAA state fastpitch softball championships, including in 2003 when the Lady Trojans finished with a 47-6 record. Under Kirk's guidance, Soddy-Daisy won its last 10 games of the season and didn't allow a run during the state tournament. Kirk also coached Hixson High School to two state titles.
"I want to thank my players, especially the six seniors I lost last year,'' Kirk said Thursday. "Those kind of kids make for good coaches.''
In a letter from NFHS Executive Director Robert F. Kanaby, Kirk was informed that: "Your contributions on behalf of high school athletics are deserving of our appreciation. Congratulations on being selected to represent all the deserving coaches from your state.''
Said Soddy-Daisy High School Principal Robert Smith, "Clifford is a task-master. The players do it Clifford's way because they know it will take them to the next level.
"His tiny details make the difference. And he sees things that others don't see. I don't think we've had a senior player that didn't get offered a college scholarship. Clifford is the real deal.''
Even without the six seniors he lost, Kirk will be competitive statewide this year with a young team.
"This year will be very exciting,'' Kirk said. "We have to run a bus for practice because none of our players are old enough to drive. But they can play softball.''
SHUMATE VISITS SCHOOL: Former UTC basketball coach Ron Shumate visited Soddy-Daisy High School on Wednesday. He will be hired soon as the school's new boys basketball coach, succeeding Laura Wood.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)