Tommy Atkinson - Baseball Coach - East Carolina University Athletics

Tommy Atkinson

Title:
Baseball Volunteer Assistant Coach

Tommy Atkinson enters his second season as the volunteer baseball coach at East Carolina where he works primarily with the outfielders as well as coaching first base, a position he accepted on Oct. 16, 2008. Atkinson was instrumental in helping the 2009 Pirates rank among the league leaders in stolen bases and outfield assists. Under his direction, left fielder Stephen Batts (first-team) and center fielder Trent Whitehead (second-team) earned All Conference USA honors. Off the diamond, Atkinson[apos]s primary role is heading up the Pirates summer and winter baseball camps, which have continued to grow under his supervision and are known for their high level of structure and organization. Prior to his appointment at ECU, Atkinson spent eight overall seasons at Louisburg College. He served as the programs head coach for the past three years, a position he took over after Godwin joined the Pirates[apos] coaching staff in the summer of 2005. As a head coach, Atkinson posted an impressive 124-49 record, including a 43-14 mark last spring and finished second in the league tournament. In 2007, the Raleigh, N.C. native helped the Hurricanes to a 41-17 record and was named Region X Coach-of-the-Year. From 1999 to 2005, Atkinson served as an assistant coach under Godwin where his primary duties included recruiting coordinator, third-base coach, hitting instructor and head coach of the developmental team. Offensively, the Hurricanes flourished under Atkinson[apos]s direction ranking among the statistical leaders in batting average and runs scored in Region X. In addition to his stint at Louisburg, Atkinson[apos]s background includes head coaching positions in the Coastal Plain League (Fayetteville Swamp Dogs/2003) and the New England Collegiate Baseball League (Riverport Royals/2004 and Newport Gulls/2005-06) wooden-bat summer circuits. Before his nine-year stay at Louisburg, Atkinson spent four years as the assistant coach at Millbrook High School and the head skipper for the North Raleigh American Legion, where his squad won the Western Division Area I championship and advanced to the state tournament in Granite Falls, N.C. in 2000. Atkinson earned his bachelor[apos]s degree in psychology from Mount Olive College, where he played baseball before following with a master[apos]s degree in counseling from Campbell University in 1996. He is married to the former Kathy Williford of Fayetteville, N.C., and the couple has two children (Gabrielle and William).