SCOOBA — Clair Goodson has been hired as an assistant softball coach at East Mississippi Community College, announced first-year EMCC head softball coach Whitney Hawkins.
Goodson comes to the Scooba campus after spending the past seven seasons as an assistant coach at Wallace Community College in Dothan, Alabama. The Lady Govs posted a record of 265-123 (.683) over those seasons, including 119-41 (.744) in the Alabama Community College Conference, including a 62-10 mark in 2019.
“I am thrilled to have Clair join the EMCC softball family,” Hawkins said. “I have known her for a very long time and know what kind of asset she is to a program.
“She brings a wealth of knowledge and has experience in rebuilding a program and taking it to the highest level. Clair’s passion for the game and her personality will greatly enhance our entire softball program.”
During the four-year span from 2016-2019, Wallace averaged nearly 50 wins per season and won at nearly an 80-percent clip with back-to-back ACCC South Division titles (27-1 records) in 2018 and 2019 on the heels of consecutive runner-up finishes the previous two years. Most recently, the Lady Govs went 41-19 overall and tied for second in the division this past spring coming off the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
“I am very excited to start this new journey with coach Hawkins, as we have known each other since our high school playing days.” Goodson said. “I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Lions during this new era of EMCC softball.”
Goodson’s brief collegiate career began as a scholarship player during the 2006-07 season at Northwest Florida State College. She transferred to Auburn University and completed her bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 2011. At Auburn, Goodson gained her initial experience coaching organized softball by serving as a volunteer varsity assistant coach under her father, Jerry, for her hometown Ariton High School team. Together they helped guide the 2010 Lady Purple Cats to the area and regional championships en route to a third-place finish in the Class 1A state championship.
During her prep playing days at Charles Henderson High School in Troy, Alabama, Goodson was a two-time Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State First Team third baseman. She helped lead the to back-to-back Elite 8 state tournament appearances and an area championship in 2004 as a junior.
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