Poland coach inducted into softball HOF

COLUMBUS — Longtime Poland High softball coach Reid Lamport was recently inducted into the OHSAA/Ohio High School Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Lamport is 399-82 (83 percent) in 18 years as head coach of the Bulldogs. He won 16 straight conference titles, along with 14 sectional titles and 11 district titles. A seven-time regional finalist, Lamport has been named the Mahoning Valley Coaches Association Coach of the Year 12 times.

“I have been fortunate to have had such dedicated and hard-working players,” said Lamport. “Our community is quite dedicated to developing the talent at the lower levels and I get to reap the benefits from their hard work. Our players have a mindset when they come into the program that no one works harder and no one is more committed than they are.”

In addition to his regular season success, Lamport has held a community clinic for younger girls the past 11 years. His teams have played in and won tournaments in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Washington D.C., San Diego and Orlando. He has also had a first team all-conference pitcher every season he’s coached. His daughters, Katie and Jessica, presented him at the HOF banquet.

“The person who is just as responsible for our success as I am is [assistant] Al Cozart, who has been with me for the past 15 years,” Lamport said. “No one is as dedicated, no one is as caring and no one is as loyal to this program and these girls as Al. When I accepted that Hall of Fame Award in Columbus, I was accepting it for Coach Cozart as well. The players have developed a deep appreciation for Coach Coz.”