FCHS' Joiner first softball coach named to GA Dugout Hall of Fame

Jill Joiner, right, is pictured at the induction with GA Dugout Club Softball President, Lisa Chapman. Photo/Special.

Fayette County High School’s veteran softball coach has been named to the Georgia Dugout Club’s Hall of Fame, the first softball coach to be named to this traditional baseball organization.

Jill Joiner, who has been the only softball coach of the Lady Tigers, was picked for the honor after the statewide group decided to include softball to its ranks. Coach Joiner has led the Lady Tigers since softball became a sanctioned sport by the Georgia High School Association.

Citing her leadership in not only her high school varsity team, but her work within the various softball groups around the state, she was recognized for early and continued support of the fall sport. Janis Green, longtime assistant coach of the Lady Tigers, made the presentation at the meeting attended by coaches and players from around the state.

Coach Green noted that in the early years of high school softball, she and Coach Joiner had to hold fund raisers to purchase equipment for the team. “There just wasn’t any money allocated for those early teams and Jill remembered some old softballs she had collected from her early recreational softball experiences in DeKalb County, “ Coach Green said. “Most of those balls were homerun souvenirs and had dates on them. One of the young softball players, after seeing the dates, said ‘I wasn’t even born then’”.

Coach Joiner was also recognized at the meeting for reaching the 400 wins mark, which actually occurred in 2007.

In responding to the award, Coach Joiner said her success on the softball field came from some excellent and dedicated young ladies who represented Fayette County High School with total effort. “I know that part of this honor came from the fact that I have been coaching so long,” she explained. “Of course the highlight was the winning of the 2002 state AAAAA championship.”

“I am extremely honored to be recognized by the Georgia Dugout Club for the inclusion in the Hall of Fame,” she said. “It, obviously, is one of the highlights of my softball coaching career.”

Coach Joiner has coached the Lady Tigers for 28 years. Many of those years the teams played at Kiwanis Field and in the first year actually used pickup uniforms from the Recreation Department. They play on their own high school field now.

The Fayette County High School softball team, under Coach Joiner, has won region championships six times and participated in the state softball playoffs 11 times since 1992, culminating with the state fast pitch championship in 2002. She has been selected as Region Coach of the Year six times and in 2002 was named State Coach of the Year.

She was inducted into the Fayette County High School Hall of Fame in 2003 and was recognized by the NFCA in 2004.

Coach Joiner, a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Berry College, has spent her entire teaching career in Fayette County, first at then Fayette County Junior High School and since 1983 at Fayette County High. She also coached the high school track team for 10 years.

She also holds a Master degree and Specialist degree in Physical Education from Georgia State University. She earned her National Board Certification in Middle and High School Physical Education in 2003.

An honors graduate at Southwest DeKalb High School, Coach Joiner earned letters in Basketball, Volleyball and Track, winning the state discus title, during her high school career. She also earned letters in track at Berry College, setting the small college record in the javelin. She played fast pitch softball in the DeKalb Recreation programs, participating as an all-star in the national softball playoffs.