WALNUT COVE — Softball coach Rick McHone stepped down at South Stokes after 11 seasons with the school. McHone, with assistants Mike Calloway and Keith Jackson, led the Sauras to their first Northwest 1A Conference Championship in over 20 years last season and to the 1A West Regional finals in 2022 and 2023.
“It was time for a change,” said McHone. “The school administration and Coach (Jason) Clark have been nothing but supportive of me, the coaching staff, and the team. I think the world of them and love the girls to death, but you just know when it is time for a change. Maybe there will be a silver lining for the girls in all of this.”
McHone was inducted into the USA/ASA Softball North Carolina Hall of Fame in 2019. He has been a pioneer in growing the sport of softball. He was appointed to the N.C. State Junior Olympic commissioner chair in 2006 and is responsible for growing the number of teams from 100 to well over 1,500 teams today.
“Coach McHone has done a great job with our softball program here at South Stokes,” said principal Chris Bottoms. “He has led our teams to new heights and helped our students achieve their goals of playing at the next level.”
McHone has led the Sauras to playoff appearances in 10 of the 11 seasons and the only time he did not COVID-19 prevented it. His teams have advanced past the first round every season except in 2014 and 2016.
“We have put a lot of blood sweet and tears into the program over the years,” added McHone. “I told Coach Clark that we were willing to do the upkeep of the softball field as long as we could use it for the Carolina Cardinals practices. He was more than willing accommodate our offer.”
Coach McHone finished his time at South Stokes with a 130-118 overall record and 85-63 in the Northwest 1A Conference. His team won a conference championship in 2023, was second in 2016 and 2021, and third place in 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2024.
Bottoms and Clark will begin a search immediately for a new Softball coach over the program.
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