Local coach receives Award from Milligan

By Frank Lamm
VNI Sports

Recently, the Ruckersville resident added one more trophy to his case, when he was named the Milligan College Hall of Fame.

"It's very humbling to receive this, especially when you know there are a lot people out there who are more deserving than I," said Hudgins, who has been coaching baseball at WAHS for the past 17 years.

"I have been very lucky in my life to have been surrounded by some truly wonderful people," said Hudgins.  "I think of Rich Lyons, whose now coaching at Luray, who really taught me a lot -- things like running organized practices and dealing with kids."

Not too long ago, Hudgins was one of those kids, who dreamed of life in the spotlight.

When I was at Milligan (1970-74) my first love was baseball.  That was my dream.  I wanted to make it to the

Hudgins began teaching at Gordons-Barbour Elementary School in Gordonsville, and moved on to Orange County High School, where he became a basketball coach for two years.

Then he moved on to Western Albemarle.  The rest is in the record books.

Those books will show Central Virginia Coach of year honors in 1986, 89, and 95 through 97.  He was also the Valley District Coach of the Year in 95 and 96 and Jefferson District Coach of the year in 97, as well as Region II Coach of the year in 97.

If that were not enough, he also returned to the sidelines for girls' basketball after a sever-year hiatus and led the Lady Warriors into the Region II playoffs.

"When I got into coaching, I never thought all this would come to be," said Hudgins.  "I have been lucky enough to have some fantastic kids come through here over the years, and I've had some good assistants, too."

Hudgins and his wife, Linda, live in Ruckersville with their three children, Trey, Megan, and Tyler