Jim Adkins, the successful head coach of the Madison Warhawks girls high-school softball team the past 11 seasons, recently stepped down from that position.
“It has been a phenomenal run,” Adkins said. “This is a great program with a great school administration, a great community and players.”
Only 10 seasons were played under Adkins because the 2020 campaign was canceled because of the pandemic.
Adkins’ coaching career record was 221-34. Known for his hands-on details to coaching and scouting opponents, Adkins’ teams won three state championships, five region titles and eight district crowns. Madison lost in two state finals and played in the state tourney six times.
He was the second most successful Madison softball coach in program history, behind Pat Dean. Her Warhawks won eight state championships and 285 games. The school’s softball field is named in Dean’s honor.
Adkins, a 1988 Madison graduate and standout baseball player for the Warhawks, said his time as coach was winding down and targeted stepping aside after the 2023 or ‘24 season. He stayed through 2024 to complete the run with a strong group of returning players.
“There was an attachment to a special group of seniors we had,” he said. “At some point this had to come to an end, and this was a good time to exit, with a lot of good young players in the program.”
Madison finished 21-5 this past season, starting with a 1-4 record then bouncing back to win district and region tournaments, then lost in the state-tournament semifinals by one run.
Adkins began his 31-year coaching career in 1993 as a Little League baseball coach.
His successor as Madison’s head softball coach has not been chosen.
