After serving five seasons as an assistant and one as an interim Co-Head Coach, Jim Patrick was named the Head Coach for the Bushnell softball team prior to the 2023 season.
During his tenure with the the Beacons, beginning in 2017, he has helped coach ten All-Cascade Collegiate Conference athletes along with over 40 Academic All-CCC selections. During the 2022 season, he served alongside Megan Kleist as interim Co-Head Coaches, guiding the Beacons to their best win total in seven years as they missed a post-season berth by just one game.
Patrick is regarded as a players coach, with an unparalleled depth of softball knowledge. He provides one-on-one instruction with players and will always be available for extra reps before and after practice.
Before joining the Beacon staff, coach Patrick had spent the previous 25 years as the varsity head coach at Thurston High School in Springfield. The highlight of his tenure came in the 2010 and 2012 seasons when his Colt teams won Midwestern League championships.
What his players have said:
Maya Jenkins - "Jim is extremely knowledgeable about the game of softball. He is patient, motivating, dependable, and served as a mentor to me for many years. The players at Bushnell are fortunate to have a coach who is so passionate not only about their performance on the field, but also about their well-being as people."
Emma Jetvig - "Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for the years I had the opportunity to learn from Jim. His knowledge of the game, patience, and steady encouragement helped shape me not only as a player, but as a person. He creates an environment where his athletes feel supported, challenged, and genuinely cared for. Even during the long Beacon bus rides filled with terrible singing, jokes, and chaotic nonsense, he always led with patience and a sense of humor. Looking back now, those moments are some of my favorite memories and a big part of what made being part of the program so meaningful."
Jess Garner - "Playing for Jim was truly one of the greatest privileges I experienced as an athlete. Jim is not just a coach - he is a dedicated teacher and mentor who is deeply invested in the growth of every athlete he works with. His wealth of knowledge about the game and patient approach to teaching and coaching players to achieve their best is awe-inspiring. I am profoundly grateful for the years I spent under his guidance and for the lasting impact his coaching and mentorship have had on me.”
