Boatner nominated for softball coaching award

By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
October 14, 2004
Another year, another honor for West Lauderdale softball coach Jerry Boatner.
The longtime Lady Knights head coach was nominated earlier this season as Mississippi's candidate for the National Federation High School Softball Coach of the Year award.
Ennis Proctor, the executive director of the Mississippi High School Activities Association, told Boatner in a letter earlier this season that he was Mississippi's nominee for the award.
Boatner has been nominated for the baseball Coach of the Year award a handful of times, but this is his first softball nomination.
But Boatner's Lady Knights have been no more or less successful than they have in other recent seasons. A state championship later this month would be West Lauderdale's third title in a row and fourth in five years. In his 15-year career, Boatner is 531-112 with 13 district championships and seven state championships.
But that success over the past decade and a half may be just as important to the National Federation as West Lauderdale's victories in the past year, according to Proctor. The MHSAA executive director said that overall coaching record and character are important characteristics for any nominee, and that Boatner is the total package.