PREP SOFTBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: Abingdon's Jason Delp

For years, Jason Delp was deeply devoted to the game of baseball.

He once connected for three home runs in one game and was among Southwest Virginia’s top sluggers during an impressive career at Patrick Henry High School.

That was followed by a solid stint competing for the Emory & Henry College baseball team.

So, when his playing days were over Delp figured he would continue following his passion on the diamond. Instead, a different ball field awaited.

In 2002, he took on the challenge of leading the softball team at Abingdon High School.

“Like every baseball player, I felt like I should be coaching baseball,” Delp said. “But I wouldn’t trade softball for anything right now. I’m having a blast at what I’m doing.”

It’s been a good career choice.

Having led Abingdon to the best season in school history, Delp was selected as the Bristol Herald Courier’s 2010 Coach of the Year.

Under Delp’s direction the Falcons won 22 games, claimed the Region IV title and earned a spot in the finals of the VHSL Group AA tournament.

A tough 1-0, eight-inning loss to Northside in the state championship game was a bitter setback, but didn’t dampen what Delp and the Falcons have done.

Since taking over the program nine years ago, Delp’s teams have become some of the most competitive and fundamentally sound in the area.

“We’ve come a long way,” Delp said. “We’ve certainly made strides in the right direction. We haven’t really changed a whole lot about what we’ve done. We’ve just tried to perfect
what we’ve done. I think you have to work with what you’ve got.
“We had some speed this year and we haven’t always been fast. We had good pitching, but we haven’t always had the best pitching. It all sort of came together for us this year.”

Delp’s direction
Abingdon outfielder Lauren Wilson was a little uneasy when she first stepped on the field for the Falcons four years ago.

“As a freshman, you’re intimidated by a bunch of upperclassmen and you’re not sure about playing time,” she recalled.

However, Delp was there to offer some guidance and a much-needed confidence boost for the youngster.

“Coach Delp told you what you needed to do to get on the field,” Wilson said. “He never got down on anybody. He was there for all of us – on and off the field.”

Wilson would develop into a four-year starter and dangerous hitter. She was also an essential part of Abingdon’s strong senior class.

The relationship between Delp and his six seniors played a big role in Abingdon’s success.

The art of keeping things loose and relating to your players, while maintaining intensity, can be a tough balancing act for coaches. Delp has it down to a science.

He has a good sense of humor and can always be counted on to deliver a quality quip. But things change when the first pitch is thrown.

“He doesn’t like to play around during games,” Wilson said. “Off the field and during practice, he’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. He likes to goof around as much as anyone, but not during the games.”

Mental toughness was also something Delp’s resilient bunch showcased this spring.

After losing out to Tazewell in the Southwest District title race, the Falcons embarked on a tough postseason journey in the regional tournament.

The Falcons responded by dispatching Blacksburg in the first round with relative ease, making the long trip to Patrick County on the road in the regional semifinals and posting a win and then upending Salem in the regional finals.

That was followed by state tournament wins over Amherst and heavily-favored Poquoson.

It came as no real surprise to Delp, whose team set lofty goals in the preseason.

“We did have high hopes,” he said. “It’s sort of nice to put the work into it and see it pay off. That’s what we got out of this year and years to come. We know if we work hard, we know what the reward is. We played well all season. We lost to good teams. We beat the teams we should have beat on our schedule. That’s why we got to go where we did.”

Reflecting Falcon
Delp can’t help but think back to the loss to Northside on that steamy Sunday morning last month on the campus of Radford University.

The game ended with the potential tying run on third base for the Falcons.

“I think anyone would have replayed it in their mind a lot,” Delp said. “At the same time, I think we left everything on the field. I don’t think we could have done anything better or differently.
“We knew that the first team to score was probably going to win the game and we had a couple of chances to score.”

With a sense of pride, Delp recalled the contributions of his players. He’s especially proud of the fact that three seniors – Sha’Tara Cooper, Salonia Thorn and Wilson – have signed
on to play at the college level next season.

He also knows the pressure ahead for the Falcons, as the expectations to excel again next spring will be ratcheted up a few notches.

“We started four sophomores and freshmen and that’s promising,” Delp said. “It’s not about what we lose, it’s about what we’ve got back and that’s what we’re going to focus on.”

The ex-baseball player is now a seasoned veteran when it comes to softball. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The girls haven’t changed and the sport hasn’t changed [in the last nine years],” Delp said. “It has evolved a little bit and become much more competitive – but the girls haven’t changed and the sport hasn’t changed. You’ve just got to get good at what you do and what your girls are good at.”

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