Halie Wetherington reporter@greenepublishing.com
Morris Bell, a long-time Madison resident, umpire, and coach, recently became the head coach at Hamilton County High School and won the Riverbend News Coach of the Year award. Coming into the 2022 high school softball season, the Lady Trojans welcomed their new head coach, Morris Bell. He took over a program that had not won a game in two years and had not had a winning season in over 15 years. While he knew he had his work cut out for him, he was excited about the opportunity of becoming the head coach. He believed in his team and knew they could be the ones to turn the program around, as long as the girls believed in one another. The Lady Trojans' most significant challenge came from changing the culture from no expectations to exceptional expectations.
The Lady Trojans finished the season with an overall 10-8 record in his first season as head coach. They carried a batting average of .318, scoring 163 runs while hitting 48 extra-base hits, including nine home runs. They outscored their opponents 163 to 129 on the season. However, Coach Bell's accomplishments don't end with stats. In his first season as head coach, he also mentored senior Brooke Howell on her way to the next level, as she signed her letter of intent at Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga. Bell has continuously made an impact on softball and baseball players across the Big Bend in his several years of work with the community. He umpired rec ball games, school ball games, and games at tournaments across the region. He was also the head softball coach at Madison County Central School. From umpire to coach, he has shown his effect on Madison athletes, and now gets to continue his legacy in Hamilton County. Congratulations, Coach Bell.