Clayton Dodd has been promoted from assistant to head softball coach at East Webster. He replaces Lee Berryhill, who retired after eight years that included three state championships in fast-pitch softball and two in slow-pitch. “We couldn't be more thrilled and happy to be at a place like East Webster,” Dodd said of himself and his wife Brooke, a science teacher at East Webster Elementary School. “You can't be at a better place. It's one of the top schools in the state of Mississippi.” He credited that high praise to the administration, faculty, parents and students. “Everything from the top down filters into the success we have at East Webster.” Dodd has been an East Webster assistant for two years, including slow-pitch in the fall before it was discontinued by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. The lessons he learned from Berryhill include patience and hard work. “He set the standard for East Webster softball,” Dodd said. “What he instilled in the girls, and in me under him as an assistant, is unbelievable. I couldn't have had a better role model.” Dodd does not have any particular philosophy for coaching. “The only thing that will get kids prepared for the season and prepared for life is to come in every day and put in the work that it takes to get there, and have the patience to come in and do the work.” Prior to joining the East Webster faculty, Dodd spent four years as a baseball coach at Eupora, the first year as an assistant and the next three as head coach 2016-2018. He was also an assistant softball coach at Eupora. He will be teaching social studies. There is a chance that softball and baseball will be played in the fall this year, with football moved to the spring, due to the pandemic. Dodd feels his players will be ready to go if that happens, pointing out that many of the players also play travel ball.
