Greenbrier alumni return as coaches

Greenbrier High School alumni Kristan Martin and Jessica Borum have seen the grass on the other softball diamond.

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But they decided none is greener than the Wolfpack's.

"I think after I got done playing high school ball, we had so much success and such a great experience at Greenbrier that nothing compared," said Martin, who played collegiate softball at Tennessee Tech and Georgia Southern University. "College couldn't come anywhere near it."

Martin -- her last name was Glover before she married -- and Borum were members of Greenbrier's state championship squad in 2004. The team went 35-5-1. It remains the school's only state title in softball.

"At Georgia and at Tallahassee, it was nothing compared to what it was here," said Borum, who played softball at Tallahassee Community College, then briefly at the University of Georgia before a back injury ended her playing days. "... You would think it would be more intense on a college team, but for me, the most intense softball I've ever played was at Greenbrier."

Both are back with the Wolfpack this season as assistant coaches.

"It's hard to describe how I feel about these kids," said longtime Wolfpack head coach Garrett Black. "They're like daughters to me. I'm just very proud of the people they are. It's very special to have your former players come back to coach for you."

During that 2004 season, Martin was putting up record numbers as a pitcher. After throwing her final high school pitch, Martin was one of only four at the time to have at least 1,000 strikeouts and 100 wins in a career, Black said. She was also the Georgia High School Association Class AAAA Player of the Year.

"A lot of people get caught up in her pitching, but let me tell you what, she was a very good high school hitter," Black said.

Borum was the senior catcher who took charge of the game and the defense while receiving all of Martin's strikeouts.

Black said she was one of the hardest-working players he's coached and cited her vast improvement from her freshman to senior year.

Borum was hired this summer as a biology teacher at Greenbrier. Martin is working as a paraprofessional at Lewiston Elementary School and awaiting her chance to teach.

Their relationship today is similar to what it was back then.

"We worked very well together in high school. ... We kind of just clicked," Martin said. "Even though we're not throwing and catching, we still work very well today. Our relationship has carried over in a different way."

Borum said Martin is her favorite pitcher she's ever caught.

"Just because she was intense just like I was," she said. "Playing with somebody else that was as intense as you, you knew that their heart was in it as much as you were."

Martin is coaching the pitchers, while Borum takes care of the catchers.

Both chart pitchers, batters and different aspects on game days. In addition, both are helping to coach the junior varsity team.

As of Thursday, Greenbrier's varsity squad was 5-2 and held a 3-0 record in Region 2B-AAAA.