The votes are in, and Nicole Black of the North Georgia Wolfpack is the latest local community leader to be awarded Braves Coach of the Week. According to one of her player’s parents, it’s the Cartersville native’s love and encouragement that separates her from the competition.
“Nicole believes in the girls 100%,” Kaitlin Head told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “She knows their potential and how to coach each and every one. She encourages and hypes them up. She’s a tough coach with a heart of gold who prays over them and loves them like her own!”
This summer, the Atlanta Braves and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are teaming up to spotlight local youth softball and baseball coaches that exemplify exceptional community leadership and service. Voted by their peers each week, winners will receive a $100 Kroger gift card and a baseball signed by an Atlanta Braves player.
Married to her “high school sweetheart,” Black lives in Cartersville — her lifelong hometown — with her husband and two children. It is there that Black expresses her passion for softball.
“I help coach a travel softball team out of our sweet little hometown,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cartersville’s championship team, the North Georgia Wolfpack 10u- Rooks, just finished competing in the nationals.
“Our team just finished up Nationals in Gulf Shores,” she said. “Those girls showed out, unfortunately they were put out by two very strong second year 10u teams, one from Texas and one from Oklahoma. I couldn’t be prouder of our Wolfpack girls. They have honestly blown me away as a first year 10u softball team, finishing up this season with 32W -20L.
“I am so proud of how much they have grown as ball players; however I am most proud of each girl’s heart and compassion. They love one another like family. Every girl has a heart of gold and at the end of the day, that is really what matters.”
When it comes to coaching, Black places special emphasis on that concept — family.
“We have been blessed with a team that has become our true second family,” she said. “I hope that I help push these girls to be the best ballplayer they can be, and for each girl to know there is nothing they cannot accomplish as long as they are putting their mind and heart into it. I hope they never doubt how much I believe in and love them. I think coaching is more than just winning, it is about making a positive impact on a kid’s lives.”
Black’s journey into softball began where it so often does for young athletes, school. Once her own daughter began playing the game, however, the passion grew into something even more powerful.
“I played softball throughout school,” she said. “The good Lord knows I wasn’t the most talented on the field, but I loved the sport. When my daughter began to play recreational ball, I had a few fellow parents from her school ask me to coach a rec team. That was my first-year coaching, and it is definitely a team that I’ll never forget. I met Kyle Rooks and his amazing family this season and he asked me to help him coach a travel ball team for our girls to play together.”
It is that lifelong transformation that Black said makes the sport so special.
“Do it!” She said, explaining why any curious children should pick up their first glove. “Go after that sport with all your heart. Learn. Try. Grow.
“Softball, well any team sport, is so much more than just a sport. It is about making memories, learning life skills, working with others, building lifelong friendships and having fun.”
In the meantime, Black will be coaching all of Cartersville’s curious children about the sport she loves — and about family.
“I am honored to have been nominated for this!” She said. “However, the girls, their parents and my fellow coaches really are the MVPs. As I mentioned earlier, we are a family! It is pretty amazing that I get to be a part of these girls’ lives and watch them grow. I am pretty blessed.”
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