Get to Know: Josh Bumgarner, Head Softball Coach

2/16/2024 5:00:00 PM

BANNER ELK, N.C. - Lees-McRae softball and head coach Josh Bumgarner have started their 2024 season this month and will now continue their season this weekend with a road trip to Salisbury, North Carolina for games with Catawba and Shippensburg. Bumgarner was hired in August 2023 after serving as the inaugural head softball coach at Catawba Valley Community College.

Bumgarner was tabbed CVCC"s head softball coach in 2019 and compiled an overall record of 115-40 in four seasons. In 2023, Bumgarner was named the Region X Coach of the Year and led the Red Hawks to a 44-8 record and Region X runner-up finish. Prior to CVCC, Bumgarner coached at East Alexander Middle School for six years and was named the first-ever head coach of the Taylorsville Post 170 American Legion Softball team in 2018. Bumgarner also served as the assistant softball coach at Alexander Central High School where he coached recent Lees-McRae graduate Julie Gast to a state championship in 2018.

"I come from a family of coaches. My dad, uncle, and cousins either have been or currently are high school coaches. So you can say it is in my blood and has always been something I knew I wanted to do."

Josh Bumgarner, Head Softball Coach

I come from a family of coaches. My dad, uncle, and cousins either have been or currently are high school coaches. So you can say it is in my blood and always been something I knew I wanted to do. My first coaching job was a middle school football assistant coach.
My core values as a coach are attitude and effort first of all. Two things I should never have to coach a player on is to have the right attitude and give me their best effort. To round out my top five core values I always put a premium on having players with these three characteristics as well, toughness, competitiveness, and confidence.
My first job was running the scoreboard and filling out newspaper reports for our local recreation youth football league.
Taylorsville, North Carolina
Being named the first-ever head coach in program history at Catawba Valley Community College
In my short time here my favorite at LMC so far is meeting with my players as the new head coach here for the first time.
The opportunity to go toe to toe with the other team and see who comes out on top. I love to compete!
The softball field
A little bit of everything. Anything from country, 90's/early 2000s pop
Pictures of my family, my players class schedules, and gifts/pictures from my former players.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
The University of North Carolina Tarheels
Football

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