"Unity is strength. . . when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved."
- Mattie Stepanek
Fastpitch Softball Coaching Staff
Head Coach Neal Sammons is a native of Covington, GA where he graduated from Eastside High School in 2002. While in high school Coach Sammons played in the baseball program for 5 years where we was a catcher, pitcher and third baseman and part of the 2000 GHSA AAA State Baseball Runner-Up team. Coach Sammons received his Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education in 2006 from Georgia College and State University, and a Master’s Degree in Christian Leadership from Liberty University in 2010. Coach Sammons became an ordained minister in 2011 and served as a youth pastor for 2 ½ years as well as teaching and coaching. Coach Sammons married his wife, Tara Evans of Austell in 2008 and they have 3 kids; Colson (7), Chandler (5), and Colbie (2).
Coach Sammons began his teaching and coaching career in 2006, at Veterans Memorial Middle School in Covington, GA. While there he was head coach of VMMS Softball team for 4 years, also serving as an assistant baseball coach at local high schools for 7 years, before coming to Marietta in 2014. He has been with the Lady Blue Devils since the 2014 season, where he served as an Assistant Coach before taking the reins of the program in 2016. Coach Sammons is in his 4th season as Head Softball Coach, and also serves as Assistant Baseball Coach where he has over 12 years of coaching experience. |
Assistant Coach Lauren Thornton is a native of LaGrange, GA where she graduated from LaGrange High School in 2000. While in high school, Coach Thornton played in the softball program for 5 years where she played left field, catcher, and first baseman. She was given the opportunity to walk-on to the Georgia Southern Softball program from 2000-2002. Coach Thornton received her Bachelor’s Degree in Middle Grades Education in 2004 from Georgia Southern University, a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Augusta University in 2007, and an Educational Specialist degree from Augusta University in 2009. Coach Thornton has been involved with students and youth sports in the recreational programs for the last five years. She has an eight year old daughter Jayla. Coach Thornton began her teaching career at Burke Middle School in Waynesboro, GA in 2004 where she spent 9 years from 2004 - 2013, then transitioned to Sandy Springs Middle School for the next two years. Coach Thornton joined the math department at Marietta Middle School, in Marietta Ga. in 2015, and began her coaching career in 2018, at Marietta High School in Marietta, GA. During her first season as Assistant Coach for the Lady Blue Devils, she saw tremendous growth in the girls and the program for the upcoming season.
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Bio coming soon
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