Garrith Lunsford and Adam Steele played baseball together in McComb as children. Now they’re reunited as coaches, passing their love of the game to the next generation of their families in the Pike County Youth Sports league.
Steele, a 2001 Parklane Academy graduate, was a pitcher and first baseman. Lunsford, a 2002 Parklane graduate, was a catcher. Both were all-stars as kids and on the same team every other regular season until they were 14.
“We played ball together when we were young,” Lunsford said. “Adam played all the way through his high school years. I quit, so we sort of lost touch a little while after that.
“Then coming back together with his son and my nephew being the same age, we started coaching Tee-Ball together when they were 3 or 4 and have been together ever since.
“The last two years, they made all-stars together, so we’ve been coaching them in league ball and all-stars. It’s a lot of fun being with the kids.”
Lunsford was the head coach of Soak-n-Wet Vent Hood Cleaning team this past regular season, while his nephew, Gunner Buckley, was a second baseman and outfielder on the team.
Steele was an assistant coach while his son, Slade, was a shortstop on the team. Lunsford and Adam Steele are now assistant coaches for Buckley, and Slade is on the 7-year-old National League All-Star team set to play in the district tournament June 24 in Natchez. Brian Reeves is the head coach of the all-star team.
The coaches recalled playing for Sonic at the 7- and 8-year-old level and Chevron on an 11- and 12-year-old team.
“Adam Steele had a rocket arm back in them days,” Lunsford said.
“We couldn’t wait to get done to go get Little Caesars pizza and a movie and some chicken nuggets,” he added.
Lunsford stopped playing baseball in junior high while Steele played until graduation.
Buckley is going into second grade at Parklane and likes playing for his uncle.
“It’s fun. I love baseball,” he said. “I like playing with my friends. I’ve made a lot of friends.”
Lunsford, who is self-employed and attended Southwest Mississippi Community College and Southeastern Louisiana University, lives in Magnolia, is married to Jackie Lunsford and has a 2-year-old daughter, Addilynn. He said he is looking forward to coaching her when she gets older.
Slade Steele, also going into second grade at Parklane, said he feels confident the all-star team can succeed.
“I see my friends and I like playing with them,” he said.
Adam Steele majored in electrical technology at SMCC, but is self-employed as a poultry farmer. He is married to Laurie Steele, resides in Magnolia and has another son Sawyer, who is 5.
“It’s great to reunite, come back and see your friends after you have your own kids,” he said. “When we were little, we played guys and we met them in baseball and stayed friends for years.
“As we grow older, we work and everything. We don’t see them, but the kids bring us back together.”
Lunsford and Steele never won a championship as players or coaches, but they are hoping that changes.
“We’ve been to state several times, never did win it, so it’s time for his son and my nephew — let’s go to state and place,” Lunsford said.
Steele is also hungry for a title.
“That would be great. I love winning, hate losing,” he said.
Both coaches said there are games year round, unlike when they were kids, with all the tournament teams.
“I think it’s a little more competition now,” Lunsford said. “You’ve got a lot more travel ball and we still come back to play league ball.
“It means something here in Pike County. We’ve both come through the league. As far as the players, I think they’ve progressed a lot more, got better gloves, arms, got some hotter bats.”
