Jeremy Wells has been named the new Head Softball Coach for Salem High School. The Salem School Board formally approved his appointment at its June 22 meeting. Wells will replace John Counts who coached the program for seven years.
"I'm honored and excited to be given the opportunity to work with the student-athletes at Salem High School,” Wells said. "Salem has a rich athletic tradition and I'm excited to continue and build upon that for the future.”
Wells is no stranger to the Salem program. He has served as an assistant softball coach at Andrew Lewis Middle School and for the Salem jayvee and varsity programs. In addition, he has coached elite travel teams in the Roanoke Valley and greater Richmond area.
"The opportunity to be a high school coach at Salem is a privilege because the City of Salem is committed to providing the resources needed to give athletes a chance to be successful,” Wells said. “The Moyer Sports Complex renovation is a great reminder that our softball program is fortunate to have such a high-level facility for its home games."
Wells is a Martinsville native who knows all about performing at a high level. He grew up learning the art of coaching players and molding young people from his father, Troy Wells. The elder Wells won no less than eight state championship with the Martinsville Bulldogs basketball program, five as an assistant and three as the head coach.
After playing for his dad and graduating from Martinsville High School, Wells graduated from Lynchburg College with a degree in sports management. He has worked in a variety of sports marketing positions including stints with the Richmond Braves and Virginia Tech Athletics. For seven years, he was an assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions with the Hokies. Currently, Wells is a sports marketing consultant with Carilion Clinic.
“I cannot wait to get our players back on the field and working together to get better each day,” Wells said. "Our goal will be to prepare young ladies for strong competition on the softball field, while creating life habits to last them a lifetime."
Wells and his wife, Kellie, reside in Salem with their two children who are both students in the Salem School Division.
