Renowned longtime championship softball coach at New Hope High, Coach Cary Shepherd hails from Columbus where she graduated from Lee High and served as a yearbook editor. Cary received her college degrees from MUW in 1965 and 1974 and started her 25-year coaching career at New Hope in 1982, where she was a pioneer in the sport of fast and slow pitch softball. She created the New Hope Lady Trojan slow pitch and fast pitch programs where she guided the New Hope slow pitch team to 18 playoff appearances, 19 division titles, 13 North State crowns, three state runner-up finishes and an amazing 9 state championships. Her fast pitch squads at New Hope had 10 playoff appearances, 4 district crowns, 1 North State title, and 1 state runner-up finish. Overall, her New Hope softball teams had a record of 861-263 with 9 state championships. Under her guidance, New Hope’s slow pitch squad was the only school to play in all four overall state title games from 1988 to 1991 and they were the first team to win six consecutive state championships from 1997 to 2005. Coach Shepherd’s Lady Trojans tied for fourth for most consecutive wins in National Federation of High School records. She also led a team to the 2005 ASA Slow Pitch National Championship. Her numerous coach of the year honors include the National Federation of High School Coaches (2003), the MHSAA (2003), the MAC (1986--first ever MAC softball coach of the year, 1989, 1990, 2002—first ever four-time softball coach of the year), the Jackson Clarion Ledger (2005), and the Columbus Commercial Dispatch (6-time area coach of the year, top ten stories, most wins in girls sports) Cary received resolutions from the Lowndes County Supervisors, School Board, and the Mississippi Legislature and served as an All-Star coach in 1987, 1990, 1998, 2006. 31 of her New Hope slow and fast pitch players were All-Stars with five earning MVP honors. She has been a longtime member of MAC, MS Professional Educators, National Federation of Coaches, and MHSAA Softball committees. Her civic and community service includes FCA, Kids With Character Softball Camp, Summer League recreational softball, Pee Wee Basketball, Pee Wee Cheerleaders, and Junior High Cheerleaders. Coach Shepherd’s numerous teaching honors include math teacher awards, nomination of MUW Alumni of the year, and student teacher coordinator plus service on textbook, handbook, interview, and Onward to Excellence committees at New Hope. She is a 49-year member of the First Baptist Church in Columbus and member of Kairos Outside Prison Ministry, North Mississippi Emmaus Community, and International Bible Study Fellowship.