Batten steps down after decade leading NJ softball

The players bought in. They endeavored to enhance a rich tradition. They proudly wore the school jersey. The relationship between the head coach and parents seldom hit a snag.

But after 10 years as head coach and more than 150 victories, Chris Batten felt the time was right to step away from the position of head softball coach at North Johnston High and, in fact, end his coaching career at the NCHSAA 2-A school in softball. North Johnston was his only high school coaching stop.

“I was never home,” the 51-year-old Batten explained as his reason for stepping away. “My mother was getting older; he (his father) was getting older.It was the same for (his wife’s) parents. I wanted to be able to help take care of them. It was just the right time. I was the same way in basketball.”

Batten’s connection with basketball totaled 15 years until turning the reins over to fellow North Johnston alumnus Matt Cuddington in 2020.

Batten acknowledges basketball was his sport of choice, but his appreciation for softball soared once he became the assistant coach for George Daniels, the winningest coach in the program’s history. Batten served as Daniels’ assistant for four years before accepting the daunting task as Daniels’ successor in 2015.

“I never had plans to be a softball coach,” Batten said. “I was a basketball guy. Once I started helping Coach Daniels, I was enjoying it and having fun. All I wanted to see was Coach Daniels win a state championship.”

Daniels, now retired, never succeeded, but his teams played for state titles in 2005, 2009 and 2012.

Basketball was Batten’s sport at North Johnston High as a student. He did not pursue a college education until operating a Subway store for 15 years.

Batten began his college education at Johnston County Community College. The next stop was Wilson Community College, then came online studies from East Carolina University and, at age 37, he earned his degree online from Western Governors Teaching College. Batten is married to the former Krista Perry and they are the parents of two daughters, Kaylynn and Blayke. Kaylynn functioned as her father’s assistant, and left the position at the same time her father decided to retire.

Batten declared he never thought much about leaving the coaching profession. But difficulty in rounding up enough players to field a team in 2022 resulted in thoughts of not coaching creeping into his mind.He found himself more convinced after the 2024 season.

The veteran coach revealed he once asked one of his daughters if she could remember a time he didn’t coach at North Johnston.

“The kids don’t remember me not coaching,” Batten, who taught history, admitted “The time was right (to exit).”

Batten added his coaching required his wife to shoulder too many domestic responsibilities.

Of his after-coaching intentions, Batten responded: “I will keep working showcase softball, and let my wife put me to work.”

He has been involved in showcase softball for 12 years.

The Johnston County Board of Education recently announced that Batten will be succeeded by former North Johnston player Olivia Gachuz, who was a standout on Batten’s teams. She graduated from North Johnston in 2019, and continued her softball career at the University of Mount Olive. Gachuz was introduced to  coaching last season at North Johnston Middle School. All but three players off the 2024 team are eligible to return.

Batten’s teams qualified for regional play all 10 seasons and won seven 2-A conference championships. His Lady Panthers reached the NCHSAA 2-A final four in 2018, and notes Batten: “Last year (2023) we were one out or one run away from playing for the state championship.”

He departs with a 153-55 record and his teams posted a strong 77-12 mark in conference play. The 2024 team, the 2-A Neuse 6 Conference queen, finished 12-7 overall and 9-1 in the conference.

His daughters not only left their impact on Panthers’ championships, but Kaylynn played on three regional teams at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, and Blayke on a pair for UNC-Greensboro.

Fourteen of Batten’s players continued their careers at the college level. Seven, including Batten’s two daughters, competed in the NCAA Division I ranks.

A state championship eluded Daniels and Batten.

“I am proud of what we accomplished,” Batten reflected. “When I became the head coach, I was having fun and enjoying it. We had a lot of success and won a lot of softball games.

“I had a bunch of kids that bought in. We always put a team on the field that competed. The kids bought into North Johnston softball. It had a culture; North Johnston softball meant something, and was passed down year after year. The girls took it seriously; they took pride in it and they took pride in wearing the jersey.”

The players didn’t seem to mind that Batten always attempted to avoid team pictures and photos of his players celebrating.

“I hope we left the program as good as Coach Daniels did for us,” Batten continued “I am big on tradition. I hope we carried on Coach Daniels’ traditions and built some traditions of our own along the way. We left (the program) in a good place.”

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