After 30 years of coaching, one of the pillars of the Aubrey Chaparrals athletic program, head softball coach James Ramsey, is calling it a career and retiring from his position with Aubrey Independent School District.
Ramsey spent the last four seasons leading the Lady Chaps to multiple playoff appearances, including two appearances in the state tournament, but is now ready to explore a new phase of his life.
“I’ve known James for a long time, and I was super excited to have the opportunity to hire him, and he’s left a legacy of winning with our softball program,” Aubrey Girls Athletic Coordinator Ron Gathright said. “… I would like to thank him for his hard work, his dedication to the program, and everything he did for Aubrey softball.”
Ramsey entered the workforce after graduating from Tom Bean High School in 1988 but learned quickly that true passion lay in coaching.
“My wife and I got married right out of high school, and I went to work, but as I was working I realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do because I knew I wanted to be a coach, so I worked all kinds of crazy jobs to get myself through college, became a certified teacher, and the rest was history,” he said.
He started his coaching career as an assistant football and baseball coach and got his first head softball coaching position at his alma mater in 1999 under then-Tomcats’ athletic director, Dan Gist.
“I always thought I wanted to be a baseball coach because baseball was my sport growing up, but when I got the opportunity to get into softball, and I just fell in love with it,” he said.
Ramsey spent the next 27 years leading multiple Ranch Cities softball programs, including 14 years at the helm for Pilot Point, where he led the Lady Cats to a state championship in 2013.
After two brief stints at Crandall and Collinsville, Ramsey took over the Lady Chaparrals softball program in 2022, replacing another legendary coach, Shon Ranton, who led the Lady Chaps for 13 district titles and two state runnerup finishes.
“I came [to Aubrey] with a lot of expectations and a lot of pressure because there had been a legacy of winning established here at Aubrey, but I was blessed to coach great kids,” he said. “We came close, making it to the state tournament my first year, losing in the regional finals the next season, and losing in the state championship last year, but it was a lot of fun, and I have a lot of great memories from those teams.”
Under Ramsey’s guidance, the Lady Chaps recorded 108 wins, with three consecutive postseason appearances, including a state tournament appearance in 2023 and a state runner-up finish in 2025.
After 27 years of coaching, with a record of 560 wins and 271 losses, 21 playoff appearances, multiple coaching accolades, and helping multiple players go on to play at the collegiate level, Ramsey said he’s ready to spend more time with his family.
“When you coach as long as I have, you miss a lot of your kids’ stuff when they’re young, and while I did miss some of their stuff, I was fortunate enough to coach my daughter …, which is a moment I’ll cherish forever,” he said. “But I have two grandkids now, and I want to be able to go out and watch them play and step away from the stress for a little while.”
He also made sure to thank his wife, his children, his parents, and all of his former players and their families for their love and support over the years.
“The big reward in the coaching profession is seeing your players go on to live successful lives,” he said. “I’ve had so many players go on to be successful teachers, coaches, lawyers, moms, nurses, and much more, and that’s what gives me the most satisfaction, beyond the wins and the success on the field. … I just hope that I was able to make a small impact on their lives through the sport of softball.”
Despite his retirement from coaching, Ramsey will continue his career in education, moving into a special education teaching position in Collinsville ISD, but when asked if he would consider a return to coaching in the future, Ramsey offered a simple response, “…Never say never.”
