Kimbrough Father/Daughter Lead James Clemens Softball

MADISON- Bradley Kimbrough is in his first season as head coach of the James Clemens softball program and for the first time he has one of his two daughters, Ana, not only attend the school he is teaching, but also coaching. He added, “The two best things I could ever be called are coach and dad and this year Ana is able to do both.”

Kimbrough’s other daughter, Ella, 15 lives with her mother and attends Brooks High School located in Killen where she runs cross country and is the manager of the softball team and is nicknamed “DOSO,” which stands for Director of Softball Operations. Ana was also living in the small town located in Lauderdale County, but last summer when her father accepted the position with James Clemens as head coach and teacher of U.S. History she sat down with her parents and discussed the possibility of following her father to Madison. It was a difficult decision for the teen as she had attended Brooks since kindergarten.

“The whole family was supportive as they wanted what’s best for me,” said Ana. “I have no regrets as I’m having the most fun this year. I feel stress that comes with sports has been lifted off me. I have no fear. I can take risks on the field I would have never made before. The big factor on my move with my father was the fact everyone here was so welcoming and have helped me fit in the school and the team.”

For the 31-year old Kimbrough, having his daughter with him at school is a blessing in many ways. It’s the first time for that situation to happen as he’s always coached at other locations other than where his daughters attended school. “Softball. She gets it due to our past experiences of her seeing me coach,” said Kimbrough. “I see her embody the way I look at the game.”

A graduate of Sheffield High in 2000, he first coached at Huntsville High before returning to his alma mater in 2011 where he coached the softball program through 2016. He wanted to spend more time with his family so he opened RPO Academy, which he operated through 2020 as an instructor, consultant and mentor for coaches of all levels of athletics. Soon the COVID pandemic closed his business and he knew he needed to return to coaching and the position at James Clemens became open at a perfect time. He was one of 27 applicants.

“You only get to be a dad once and I did not want to miss out on their growing up,” said Kimbrough of his earlier decision to get out of coaching. “Once I got the job here at James Clemens Ana showed interest in following me, so her mom, my ex-wife, and I are good at parenting and knew at the end of the day it’s about the girls.”

Ana’s trek through the life around softball is full of memories. She has vivid recollections of spending hours pitching a ball up the driveway of their home and then learning how to catch the ball as it rolled back to her. She would play Wiffleball with those in her neighborhood and spend what seemed like an eternity waiting to play catch with her father.

“I would stand at the door looking out, holding my glove, waiting for my dad to return home from his jobs so we could play catch,” said Ana, now 16 and a junior. “I also had his glove with me and when he drove up to the house I would spring to his side and give him his glove so we could play together. He even built a pitching cage for me several years ago.”

Ana began some type of softball at age four, but always played for other coaches. She did follow along with her father as he coached as would help drag the field and cut the grass among other duties of being among her father’s shadow.

“She was a true coaches’ kid,” added Kimbrough. “But I never coached her as I always felt she needed others. I used to love showing up at her games being a dad. Yes, I would instruct her, but not officially coach as I didn’t have time.”

Finally at age 14, Ana turned to travel softball play and it was at that time Kimbrough became her official coach. Ana had the choice to play for other teams, but always indicated she wanted to play for her father…and off they went.

Ana became a varsity player and starting outfielder as a freshman for Brooks, but the 2020 season was cut in half due to the pandemic. After the 2021 season was complete and Kimbrough took his new coaching position, again away from home, Ana knew she wanted to be by his side, though it meant leaving behind her mother and her sister.

“He’s my best friend as I spend most of my day with him,” added Ana, as she and her father live in an apartment in Madison and travel to Killen to visit the rest of the family on a regular basis. “I don’t want others to think I’m just the coach’s daughter. I want equal treatment. Matter of fact, he’ll pull me from the game quicker than anyone else.”

“Oh yes, it’s a challenge as there has to be a line between father and coach,” said Kimbrough. “On the field she has to treat me as coach and not dad. Coming into a new, big school and new team with her dad as coach was very challenging for Ana. I’m proud of her as she grew up in the coaching world and the softball world and I see she has listened to what I taught over the years.”

The starting left fielder and part-time pitcher for the Jets, Ana also excels in the classroom where she carries a 4.25 grade point average. She would like to play softball in college but her main interest is to graduate high school and study pharmacy once in higher education.

“I will always have great memories on my childhood as I saw my dad coaching other girls and they were having fun and he was having fun and I always wanted to be a part of that,” said Ana. “Those experiences have helped me be smarter in the game as I feel I can break down my swing, my footwork and play well. I wasn’t naturally gifted athletically as others and have had to work at it. He knows what I capable of doing and I try to match those expectations.”

Ana is part of the school’s Co-Op program and when her schedule allows works with Kaleidoscope Florist in Florence. On the field, Kimbrough feels she has helped make the current team gel as others seem to follow her lead. “She handles failure very well and has good showings of a leader. She has helped me tremendously since my divorce,” added Kimbrough.

Besides softball, the father-daughter watch old movies and television together and go to local movie houses whenever possible. They also share a bevy of music together.

“I remember when she was a young kid as she was not very athletic, kind of clumsy and she has worked very hard on her own to overcome that,” said Kimbrough. “She always had that underdog mentality and worked hard to make it in athletics. She competes with herself as she’s very competitive.”

Ana wears No. 1 for the Jets, a number Kimbrough indicated he was always against as he felt wearing that number would make an athlete think they are better than they really are. As for Ana, “She is very selfless and always cares about others,” he said. “I’m just proud to have her call me dad and coach and we’re spending quality time together and she doesn’t have to wait on me to play catch.”