Daniels Hired As High School Softball Coach

 

WATER VALLEY – Rachel Daniels was hired as the new Water Valley High School head softball coach during Monday night’s school board meeting. Daniels moved to the Water Valley community over three years ago after accepting her first high school coaching job at Oxford High School (OHS). She served as an assistant coach at Oxford for two years working alongside her sister, Tabitha Beard, who is head coach at OHS.

“I fell in love with Water Valley when we were playing them when I was coaching at Oxford,” Daniels said. “I remember telling my husband, Tim, if this job becomes available, I will take it.”

Daniels explained that she moved to Water Valley from Arkansas after starting two successful traveling teams in addition to providing private lessons.

“I traveled all over the country coaching the teams in showcase softball, which provided an opportunity for those kids to get recruited to play college ball,” Daniels reported about her time coaching in Arkansas. She coached the two teams for multiple consecutive years and was thankful that 11 out 11 kids were able to play on college softball teams.

“We won state titles and championships,” Daniels added about the travel teams.

The shift to coaching at the high school level was another opportunity for Daniels, who said it was an honor to coach with her sister for two years. She left OHS for an opportunity to serve as head coach at North Delta for the 2019-20 school year. 

Daniels plans to start working with her new  team as soon as the Mississippi High School Athletic Association lifts the current ban on sports, which is tentatively scheduled June 1.

The work will start in the weight room and with teaching the fundamentals. 

“I want to make sure that we know how to do things correctly, to create an atmosphere of learning and how I expect you to carry yourself as a member of the Water Valley softball team,” Daniels explained. “I love practices and I love teaching. Practice is where you work hard and the game is where it pays off.”

An Impressive Player 

Daniels racked up impressive stats at both the high school and collegiate level. A native of Columbus, she graduated from New Hope High School in 2006, where she was a leader on a team that earned six state titles as part of an impressive legacy by her former coach, Cary Shepherd. 

Shepherd started the softball programs at New Hope and guided the slow-pitch team to 18 playoff appearances, 19 division titles, 13 North State crowns, three state runner-up finishes and nine state championships. Her fast-pitch squads at the school had 10 playoff appearances, four district crowns, one North State title, and one state runner-up finish.

Daniels then played at Wallace State Community College in Alabama, competing under another legendary softball coach, Jayne Clem. 

With back-to-back state championship teams during her two years at Wallace State, Daniels was named Junior College All American and Player of the Year her sophomore year. She finished her college career at the University of Central Arkansas with a full scholarship.  She led Central Arkansas to a 20-23 record, which was the most wins in a season since the program joined the Southland Conference in 2007. 

She was the team’s top hitter in 2009, bating .277 and earning All-SLC Honorable Mention. She had a .955 fielding percentage while playing all four infield spots, catcher and right field.

“She is well respected and was a very good softball player growing up,” Water Valley High School Athletic Director Brad Embry added about Daniels. “She is also a very well respected teacher of the game.”

Daniels said she is super excited about the road ahead building the team to compete at a championship level. She is also excited about working in the community where she lives and not having to drive 30 to 40 minutes to work. Ironically her sister lives just a mile down Hwy. 32 from her house, and a friendly sibling rivalry could be brewing between the Oxford and Water Valley softball teams. 

“But it’s going to be a process,” Daniels stressed about the road ahead.