The East Ridge High School softball team has a new softball coach.

Last week, Bobby Hudgens, a Greater Chattanooga Hall of Fame inductee for fastpitch softball and ’74 ERHS alumnus, was named the new coach. 

The 63-year-old banker told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that he would  “…just like to help see the program get back on track. They had some really strong teams a few years ago. We have a young team, but I’m looking forward to working with them and trying to share knowledge of the game.”

Hudgens was a place-kicker for the Pioneers back in the day. He got a scholarship to Vanderbilt where he played both football and baseball for a couple years before transferring to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

In his coaching career, Hudgens coached the Frost Falcons to 300 wins from 1998-2006 and appeared in his teams appeared in seven straight ASA national tournaments. He also coached softball for one year at David Brainerd School. 

Bill Adkins, who coached alongside Hudgens with the Frost Falcons, will become assistant coach.