Day set aside to honor late baseball coach
Blevin's wife Denise and sons Kyle and Craig accept plaque
Darrell Blevins is etched into the hearts, minds and character of many people following his 15 years as the head baseball coach at Coastal Alabama Community College's Brewton campus. His name will now be etched on the field where he not only taught young men baseball, but life and the need to succeed in the classroom as well as the baseball field.
Blevins died in August, 2021, from complications from COVID-19, but his memory lives on.
Family and friends gathered on Feb. 12 at Coastal's baseball field for Darrell Blevins Day to not only recognize his accomplishments as a coach and a person, but to dedicate the batting facility in his honor.
Originally scheduled for Feb. 5, the event was moved to Feb. 12 due to weather concerns. Friends and family gathered to pay tribute to the late coach and to help raise money for the Darell Blevins Scholarship Fund, which was organized by the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association. Admission to the baseball game and girl's softball game that day went toward the scholarship fund.
Blevin's son, Kyle, a senior at T.R. Miller High School in Brewton, was the scholarship recipient of $1,500 with Kyle signing to play for the Warhawks next season.
Kyle, his brother Craig and their mother Denise were on hand for the special ceremony.
Misti Nims, who coaches the Warhawks' girls' softball team said she learned a lot from coach Blevins.
"It was an honor to work alongside Darrell over the last 16 years," Nims said. "His sense of faith, family, and passion for the game is, and always will be missed. Our goal here on the Brewton campus is to honor Darrell each year by having a day to remember who he was while raising money for the Darrell Blevins Scholarship Fund."
"Darrell's family, much like him, are of very high moral character," said Dennis Fuqua, Coastal director. "And our community feels a void at work and at home and we are trying to do things the right way in moving forward so we honor a really good man who was an important part of our community and faculty here."
Coastal Alabama Community College Athletic Director Daniel Head said it was fitting such a devoted coach would be remembered on the fields he loved so much.
"I learn about his impact within the community on a weekly basis, and being that baseball was such a big part of his life, we wanted to honor him somewhere that was his sanctuary," Head said.
Fuqua said more events will be planned through the baseball and softball seasons to help raise money for the scholarship fund.
