Varsity Softball Returns to Fellowship Christian School

Staff Report

Fellowship Christian School will field a varsity softball team this fall, and has named Brad Pager as varsity head coach and director of softball, according to Athletic Director Bryan Lindner. 

The school did not field a varsity team in 2013.

Veteran softball coach Shannon Holt has also joined the program as varsity assistant coach. 

“After not being able to field a varsity team last season, we are very happy with the direction our program is now headed,” Lindner said. “Our athletic department has worked very hard with the booster club to bring varsity softball back to Fellowship Christian School. We could not have done this without the hard work and dedication of a strong group of student-athletes and parents. We are pleased to have the leadership of Brad and Shannon."

Pager, who has more than 34 years in coaching, brings "natural leadership and direction" to the Lady Paladin program, the school said in a press release. 

He re-joined Fellowship this spring as the school’s varsity baseball coach. Pager spent eight years as the schools' varsity baseball coach from 2003-10, and was also head softball coach for three years from 1997-99. 

“We are truly blessed to have Coach Pager, Coach Holt and a couple of very good young coaches and teachers for the middle school program with Leah Smith serving at MS head coach and Dan Parsons as MS assistant,” Lindner added.

Holt has coached softball for more than 16 years, including 14 years at the men’s, coed and youth levels from 1998-2011. She spent six years as a varsity softball head coach at two Virginia high schools, including Heritage High School in Lynchburg, Va., from 1995-98, and E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Va., from 2001-03.  

“Shannon brings a tremendous background in softball to Fellowship Christian School,” Pager said. “We are tremendously excited about Shannon’s coaching experience, especially her experience working with pitchers.” 

To comply with Georgia High School Association rules, the program can host workouts with coaches and players if there is a ratio of two players to one coach prior to Aug. 1. 

There will be workouts for all middle and high school players beginning on July 15 through the first day of school from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. A parent meeting will be held on July 22.

“I am so happy to be joining a great school like Fellowship,” Holt said. “Coach Pager and I are very excited to begin workouts with the girls. We are both very excited to be part of this program.” 

Holt played collegiate softball at Lynchburg College and Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Holt, who earned a bachelor’s of science degree in children’s and youth ministry from Liberty in 2009, also earned a master’s degree in secondary education specializing in reading from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Ariz. 

She is also working towards a second master’s degree in educational leadership. She and her husband, Robb Holt, have two children.