Jim Simmons: Effingham County High School/Statesboro
Simmons was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame in 2022.
Jim Simmons’ legacy goes beyond the coach of the year awards and the championship trophies. His impact on the game and its players can’t be measured.
“He was a great coach, but an even better person,” former Statesboro High player Dake Williams told the Statesboro Herald. “Having him around us helped to mold us all to who we are. It was great to have him as a coach, but he would talk to you about a lot more than just baseball.”
Simmons passed away from bladder cancer on March 12, 2021. He was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022.
Born in Atlanta, the Georgia native coached both baseball and softball during his career after graduating from Georgia Southern where he played baseball. He got his start at Effingham County High School where he was an assistant baseball coach from 1990-93. A year later, he was named the head coach at the school where he remained until 2005. He won 193 games and won two region titles.
He left Effingham County and became the assistant baseball coach at Statesboro High School from 2006-11. In 2012, he took over as head coach and led the program until he retired after the 2020 season.
He guided Effingham County to two region titles and five trips to the state playoffs during his tenure.
At Statesboro, he took the baseball team to the postseason six times.
He finished his overall coaching career with a record of 310-252-1.
In addition to being head baseball coach, Simmons was head softball coach from 2009-19 and helped lead the Lady Blue Devils to four straight state playoff appearances. His 2019 team at Statesborto won the region title.
“I was given a note from Coach Simmons at the same time I got my diploma,” former player Jena Coble told the Statesboro Herald. “He said that the note had something written on it that I had taught him through my four years of playing for him. He always had a way with words, and I know that he is taking care of every baseball and softball field up in heaven right now. We know you have now made it to your forever home.”
Simmons was inducted into the Effingham County High School athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.
Coaches and peers also enjoyed working under Simmons. When Russ Winter, a former assistant at Statesboro, was named the head baseball coach at nearby Portal High School in 2019, he called Simmons “the most knowledgeable baseball coach in Georgia” according to local media outlets.