03/19/2024
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BLADENBORO – John Ammons has been named the head baseball coach at West Bladen High School replacing Kim Cain who resigned to take a position in South Carolina.

Ammons has served as an assistant coach under Cain for six years and has also served as an assistant football coach at West Bladen.

“I am excited,” said Ammons. “There is a great group of young’uns here. The junior class is very good, and they love the game. I am extremely fortunate to have the opportunity and also to have the staff that we have. Wade Pait (assistant coach) does a tremendous job.”

Ammons also noted that “we play in the hardest baseball conference in North Carolina. That is a blessing and a pain. We better be ready to play every night.”

“We are very excited for John and West Bladen baseball,” said newly named West Bladen athletic director Travis Pait. “Coach Ammons has proven himself to be a good baseball coach and an even better person.”

Coach Ammons played baseball at Scotland High under the late Coach Tommy Britt and at UNC-Pembroke under Coach Paul O’Neil. He played on a Scotland team that was ranked No. 1 in the state.

Ammons shared, “Coach Britt was an unbelievable influence in the way he treated kids. He showed them love and camaraderie and then a passion for the game.”

After graduating from UNC-Pembroke, Ammons served as the jayvee baseball and football coach at Whiteville High. He was on the 2012 Whiteville baseball staff that won a state championship.

Ammons then took the assistant job at West Bladen saying, “Coach Cain has a brilliant baseball mind. He was always showing me something new in the game. I was very fortunate to learn under him.”

Coach Ammons expressed gratitude to principal Peggy Hester for the opportunity and noted that his wife, Christy, is his biggest supporter. The couple have two children – Dalton (age 7) and Alivia (age 3). “I also thank God for the opportunity,” he said.

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