An Exemplary Coach

No one tells you.

 

You just know.

 

Robby Turner knew.

 

After serving as Collegiate’s head varsity softball coach for 15 years and program leader for 16, Turner has stepped back from both positions, effective the end of this season.

 

His decision came after much thought and reflection.

 

It was a difficult one, for sure, considering that Turner has been a three-season coach for the entire 25 years he’s taught in the Lower School, thoroughly enjoys the role he plays outside his kindergarten classroom, and draws strength and energy from his athletes and coaching colleagues.

 

“When I think of Robby, I think of his dedication to our kids and his passion for competition,” said Andrew Stanley, Collegiate’s Director of Athletics. “He’s been a master at taking our rosters and creating competitive teams.

 

“He’s been an exemplary coach for the way we do things here. He’s never made excuses. He puts his best foot forward every time. He’s been an unbelievable steward of our softball program. The large numbers (19) we have on our JV have a lot to do with Robby’s commitment to developing and inspiring new people to join the program. He’s worked very hard to build a sustainable, long-term program.”

 

Turner also assists with JV cross country and serves as head JV girls basketball coach. He hopes to remain involved in the spring in a role yet to be determined.

 

There was no one reason that Turner decided to step back from softball.

 

“Being a varsity coach and program leader is year-round,” he said. “That’s exciting, but it can wear on you. I still love the coaching, but the other pieces through the year that not everybody sees just seem to be more time consuming.

 

“Our daughters [Abby and Lizzie] live in different places (Savannah and Charlotte, respectively), and Kim (his wife) and I want to be able to visit them. I always want to give 100 percent. I didn’t want to get to a point where I was missing out on things or not giving all I could give, so both of our girls being settled factored into the decision.”

 

That said…

 

“I love the group that we have this year,” he added. “The coaching excitement is still there. Balancing everything was just a lot. I love working with kids. I just need to step back from being in charge of everything.”

 

After coaching in the baseball program for nine years, Turner served as Mark Coates’s softball assistant (and program leader) for a year before becoming head coach in 2011.

 

His first team had no seniors. Expectations were uncertain at best.

 

The Cougars finished 13-8 that first year and 14-8 the next and reached the League of Independent Schools tournament finals both seasons. After a couple of rebuilding years, the Cougars went 11-10, 15-7, 15-7, 15-9, and 16-11 and were ranked among the top teams in the VISAA from 2015-2019 before the pandemic shut down everyone’s 2020 season.

 

“What I’ve loved is that so many of our girls who’ve played a big part in our success are home grown,” said Turner, who was honored as LIS coach of the year five times. “They’ve come all the way through Collegiate, and a good number of those had never played the sport until they got to 7th or 8th grade. It’s fun to know you’re taught them some things and they’ve learned to love the sport.”

 

Turner mulled over his decision to relinquish his duties for several weeks before telling anyone.

 

“When the idea first entered my mind,” he said, “I thought, That’s crazy. I wanted it to be something I could think about, wonder about, go back and forth, and see if it still seemed like the right thing.”

 

He told Kim on a Friday in mid-April as they were heading to Charlotte to visit Lizzie.

 

“I figured we had four hours to talk about it in the car,” he said. “I waited until we were on [I-]95 so I wouldn’t have to concentrate on making a turn. At first, she was kind of startled. She knows I love coaching. It was surprising because I think my tone when I said, ‘I need to tell you something,’ worried her that it was something bigger than that. To me, that was a huge thing. She said, ‘Are you sure?’ I said, ‘I think this is the time.’”

 

He told Stanley the following Monday and his team four days later.

 

“I love that there’s a beginning and end of seasons,” Turner said. “I’m excited at the beginning. When you get to the end, you breathe a sigh of relief and get charged up for the next season. That’s when this will hit me: when it doesn’t start back up again.

 

“Over the years, you look back and think, Wow! I’m very fortunate to have worked with all those amazing kids and coaches along the way. I’ve learned so much from all of them. They’ve made me a better coach.”

 ~Weldon Bradshaw