WINTER HAVEN – After building an Ohio junior college program from the ground up, Kevin Lewis has been chosen to lead Polk State Softball.

Lewis, 46, began his tenure as head coach this week. Lewis spent the last two seasons at Hocking College, an NJCAA Division II program in Nelsonville, Ohio. He was the first coach in program history.

"I'm very thankful for the opportunity and grateful to be in this position," Lewis said. "I wanted to be in the south and at a Division I JUCO. There was no way I could say no."

A love for junior college athletics

In two seasons at Hocking, where he also served as Associate Athletics Director, Lewis compiled a combined 46-24 record. Last season, he guided the Hawks to a 30-9 record, an Ohio Community College Athletic Conference championship, and a regional semifinal appearance.

"With a brand-new program and me not knowing anyone in Ohio, I wanted to see what I could do," Lewis said. "I'm always looking for new challenges and setting goals for myself."

Lewis arrives at Polk State with more than 20 years of experience coaching baseball and softball. A native of Michigan, Lewis played baseball collegiately. As a pitcher, Lewis began his career at the University of Olivet, an NCAA Division III program in Michigan, before spending his final three years at Missouri Baptist University, an NAIA program.

"My philosophy has always been to control the things you can," Lewis noted. "My No. 1 thing is to take care of the little things. The big things will take care of themselves."

In 1999, Lewis had the opportunity to represent the U.S. in international baseball tournaments in Venezuela and Peru. He graduated from Missouri Baptist in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in sports management and a minor in kinesiology. His first college coaching experience came as pitching coach for Kalamazoo Valley Community College's baseball team in Michigan.

"I really love junior college softball," Lewis explained. "For a lot of kids, JUCO ball is a second chance. It allows kids who maybe struggled in high school to get back on their feet academically and athletically. JUCO lets athletes get a feel for what college is all about and a sense of what they want to do for the rest of their lives."

Mentors

In each of his four years as a college athlete, Lewis played for Head Coach Eddie Uschold. Uschold is someone that Lewis considered a mentor and uses many of his principles as a coach today.

"When I was young, I was pretty rough around the edges," Lewis said. "Any time I've needed anything, he's been there for me."

Aside from Uschold and his father, Rick Lewis, the new Polk State head coach mentioned Dick Kaiser as another mentor. Kaiser served as Athletics Director during Lewis' time at Olivet.

"He was an amazing individual and just a wealth of knowledge when it came to athletics," Lewis recalled. "When he walked into a room, people gravitated towards him. When he talked, everybody listened."

A baseball man becomes a softball man

Coaching and training since 2001, Lewis later owned a pair of training facilities in Michigan that opened in 2012. Initially a baseball coach, Lewis first coached softball for his then 8-year-old daughter Karyna Lewis in 2013.

Not a fan of coaching softball initially, Lewis developed a love for the sport when he was tabbed to lead Kalamazoo Christian High School in Michigan in 2017. After leading the program to two state tournaments in three years, he spent the COVID-shortened 2020 season as head coach at Glen Oaks Community College in Michigan. Lewis again coached his daughter, a two-sport athlete, at Hocking.

"I've just fallen in love with softball," Lewis explained. "I'm never stepping foot to coach on a baseball field ever again. If the girls believe in you and what you're teaching them on the softball field, they'll run through a brick wall for you."

A father of two, Lewis heads an athletic family. His daughter Karyna, now a sophomore at Hocking, plays both volleyball and softball. His son Keegan Lewis, 15, plays high school football, baseball, and is part of the wrestling team.

Ready to take charge

Lewis will take over a Polk State program that finished 17-25 last year. The Eagles finished third in the Suncoast Conference in 2023.

"I'm super stoked and ready to get going," Lewis added. "The players seem really excited; their ambition so far has been off the charts."

Lewis was selected for the job following a nationwide search. Approximately 15 coaches from across the country qualified for the job.

"What Coach Lewis accomplished in his two years at Hocking was truly remarkable," said Stanley Cromartie, Director of Athletics at Polk State. "We were fortunate to have several great candidates, but we believe in his vision for our softball program. We know he'll get the most out of student-athletes on the field and in the classroom."

Lewis left Hocking as a conference champion but says on-the-field accomplishments won't be the only way to measure success during his time at Polk State.

"I see my programs from a graduation standpoint," Lewis explained. "What really defines a great athletic program is retention and graduation. Our kids are going to get a great education. Wins and losses are going to come but that's not the important thing to me. I want the players to have a great college experience and enjoy their time playing the game they love."