Great Scott! Adkins hopes for past successes as Rams softball looks to future

Sep. 11—RACELAND — Raceland will have a new skipper come softball season. The Rams announced on Sunday that Scott Adkins is taking the reins on the program.

"This is a great community with great people who've been really great to me," Adkins said. "The girls here are super. I've enjoyed coaching them the last couple years as an assistant and I'm glad to still be a part of this team. So, when the job opened up, I saw it as an opportunity, and I went for it."

Adkins had been an assistant with the Rams softball team under coach Destiny Goins.

The Rams' position was left vacant after Goins accepted the head-coaching spot at Russell.

Adkins has been a head coach before. He has prior experience with travel ball as well as heading up the Spring Valley varsity team.

"I've coached for several years," Adkins said. "I started with travel ball and coached my daughter all the way through until she graduated. She ended up playing in college and I took a few years off. Then when I went back to coaching, I was at Spring Valley for a few years as an assistant and then became head coach. After that I came here to Raceland as an assistant for a bit of a change of scenery. I came to help Destiny, and now she's moved on to other things, so I applied and here I am."

Raceland principal and athletic director Tom Collins is excited about the new hire.

"We're looking for someone to be the 'face of the program,'" Collins said. "We're looking for leaders that teach life skills, teamwork and accountability — skills that are valuable after high school and after these young ladies' playing days are over. We believe that coach Scott Adkins checks a lot of those boxes, and that Raceland softball will continue to sustain successes on the diamond and off."

With Adkins being no stranger to the fans of the Rams, his hope is to make the community proud of the job his players do this upcoming season.

"I want to help with the younger kids all the way through to the high school," Adkins said. "It's like a grassroots campaign. Let's start with smaller kids and work to the bigger kids. It's not just a high school job. I think this community is all about that. If we try to build and build with this program, I like the way it looks, and I like the future of it."

Collins said Adkins was first brought to Raceland due to his experience and came highly recommended.

"Adkins came here originally as an assistant and as a veteran 'presence' for our young, just starting, former coach, Destiny Goins," Collins said. "I spoke to several people that I regard highly. (Those) heavily involved in West Virginia high school and college level softball gave him high marks in regard to his coaching acumen and his abilities to take a team and maximize its potential."

Maximizing the Rams' potential will be key to the team's success. The 63rd District has been a competitive softball scene of late and Adkins hopes to see the Rams standout among the pack.

"There's a lot of respect among the coaches and players in this district," Adkins said. "There's a lot of talent here. On any given day these four teams can beat each other. Everyone wants to win the district and win the region. We've been there before in the past, we've gotten close the last few years, but I'd like to get us over that hump to move forward. And I'd love to go to the All 'A' tournament and get in that championship game. All 'A' means a lot to Raceland."

Collins thinks the program has been bred for success over the years and expects Adkins will continue that legacy.

"This program has continued on its course of being one of the most successful programs in the 16th Region," Collins said. "While the head coaches have and will change inevitably, the goals, culture, and work ethic remain the same. Former head coaches Shawn Johnson, Robbie West and Destiny Goins have all had a part in these successes and I 100% believe that coach Adkins will do the same. We have a good recipe, for what we deem as success, and it seemed unnecessary to go outside for a new 'chef.'"

Ultimately, Adkins is thankful to be in the position and is looking forward to the season starting next March.

"The people here have welcomed me with open arms," Adkins said. "And I'm ready for it. I'm ready for this challenge."

Adkins works at Spriggs Distributing and has one daughter, Bailey Adkins.