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Craddock is Youth Day Grand Marshall
Craddock came to Thomasville in 2003, and he spent the last two years as the team chaplain to the Thomasville High School football team. This year, he is "coming out of retirement" to coach girls softball in the city's youth baseball program. "It's an honor, and a surprise," he said. "I'm sure there are a lot of people who work very hard behind the scenes who are also deserving. It's those invisible people who make it happen." Craddock has been involved in sports since he was eight years old; playing any sport that was available to him. While football was his love, he was also on the track team, played baseball and basketball. He was also active in the Dixie Youth baseball leagues in Dothan. "I got my first job when I was 14 umpiring baseball for the younger kids in Dothan," he said. "I've umpired sports from recreation leagues to high school to collegiate." It all eventually led to coaching. With three girls growing up, "I looked around and there weren't many opportunities for them, but fast-pitch softball was just starting to catch on." So Craddock began coaching youth sports, coaching each of his girls teams to state championships in Dixie Youth and taking a fourth team to the world series as well. He helped organize the girls' league in Ozark and was instrumental in organizing two girls' high school softball teams, and he has served as a volunteer assistant coach or team chaplain for six high school football teams, including Thomasville. Craddock cites Doug Tew and Lowell Roundtree as two of his influences. "They would always greet the kids with a smile and do whatever they could to help them," he said. "They shaped my life as much as anything when it comes to sports." Craddock's return to coaching youth sports this year is an exciting one for him. "I really enjoy working with the kids. Some have natural athletic ability and some come, and they work hard and try to learn, and I want to help them become better." "Nothing is more rewarding outside of the spiritual aspect of my life," Craddock said. "I once had a kid on one of my teams, and she had literally not had a hit all season long. It was the next to last game of the season, and she came up with the bases loaded and two outs: she got her first hit of the year and drove in three runs. When she got to first base, I told her to keep running until she couldn't. When you see something like that happen, that the reward." When comparing Thomasville to the other programs he's been involved with in Dothan and Ozark, Craddock said Thomasville's ranks right up there. "When you measure the facilities Thomasville has and the interest and involvement from the parents and city leaders, I think it ranks equal to one and better than the other."
"Thomasville has a great program and the people in it work very hard for the kids and that's important, Thomasville's program is as directed at the kids as any I've seen."
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