A visit to her parents in Kinston landed newly hired Opp softball coach Amy Harrison a job at the helm of the Lady Bobcats softball program.

Harrison graduated a year ago from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in International Relations. Two years previously, she attended Florida State University.

Harrison said the reason she transferred to USI from FSU was because it provided a better opportunity for her to play the game she loves.

“I wanted to get out of there,” she said. “I had more of a better opportunity at Southern Indiana, playing wise and pitching wise.”

Harrison said when she returned to Kinston to visit her parents, they told her that Opp High School was hiring a softball coach and she decided to apply.

“I come to visit my family this summer in Kinston, and now here I am,” she said.

In addition to being the head softball coach, Harrison will work as a teacher’s assistant at Opp Middle School.

The reason why Harrison loves softball so much is because it’s “the only thing she knows.”

“When I was seven I played slow pitch and when I was 12, I took pitching lessons,” she said. “Ever since then, I have been kind of an attention person. I like people to notice me being a pitcher.

“As a coach, it’s the same thing, but I’m not on the field anymore,” she said. “I’m on the sidelines. Being a coach it’s going to be great. I get to teach these girls what I was taught.”

Harrison said, among other things, she can bring experience to the Lady Bobcats softball program.

“Well, I can bring them experience, knowledge, building a program, teaching the girls to play the correct way and teaching the girls that softball doesn’t have to end at the end of high school,” Harrison said. “I’m really looking forward to building a program and getting the community more involved.”

Harrison has to wait another six months until the new softball season begins, but until that point, she said she’ll be getting the girls in shape for the new season.

“All I can do now with them is conditioning and weight training — getting their bodies built and get them in running shape and getting their stamina built,” she said. “I’m hoping that they go out there on their own and perfect their throwing, hitting and fielding.”

Harrison is the daughter of Wayne and Donna Harrison of Kinston. She has a sister, Traci, who will be the assistant softball coach at Texarkana College in Texarkana, Texas.

Harrison said her community reception been great and also that the girls on the team seem like they want to play ball.

“It’s been wonderful,” she said. “The thing I love about the girls here is that they want to learn and they want to play.”