Gary Adams
Crescent High School
Impact Statement
“Teaching and coaching is about encouraging and training people.” -Gary Adams
Biography
In 26 years of coaching Adams has won nearly 1,000 games while coaching softball and boys basketball. Since 1976, Adams’ softball teams have a record of 629-63, and have reached the Class AA state finals every year since 1980. A national record, 17 of those teams have won titles, including a streak of 11 straight from 1987-97.
The National High School Athletic Coaches Association selected him as the National Coach of the Year in 1991 and he has been named conference or region Coach of the Year 15 times. From 1976 to 1992, Adams also was the school’s boys basketball coach, leading that squad to two state titles and one runner-up finish. The South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association (SCACA) named him its basketball Coach of the Year three times and he was conference Coach of the Year seven times. The SCACA also presented Adams with its Outstanding Service Award in 1994 and 1999. He is one of three coaches to be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame this year.
Adams retired in June of 2019 after 43 years with a staggering 33 straight region titles. Adams also boasts 19 championships, 11 consecutive titles from 1987-1997 and eight state runner-ups. He hangs up his cleats with a career record of 1,043-169. This is the most wins by any coach in any sport in South Carolina history.
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