Special to Atmore News
Jason Huggins, a native of Atmore, was inducted into the Wyoming American Legion Hall of Fame on July 16, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Coach Huggins joins former Vice President Dick Cheney, Mets player Brandon Nimmo, and former Atlanta Braves player Mike Devereux, among others in the Wyoming American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame. In a state that lacks high school baseball as a sanctioned sport, the American Legion means substantially more to the community, as well as the athletes who are given an opportunity to represent their town.
Coach Huggins has had a successful coaching career, and is highly regarded as an intense, devoted, caring, and knowledgeable coach.
Baseball has always been a passion for Coach Huggins, both as a player and a coach. He brings almost 30 years of service to young men involved in American Legion Baseball. A fierce defender of his players; he has devoted endless hours to the Jackson Giants program. He is always looking for ways to help his players on and off the field … teaching life skills.
Huggins, the long-time coach of the Giants, has served 12 years at the helm of the Giants team. He played Little League Baseball in Atmore. At the age of 8, his family moved to Wyoming due to his dad’s job transfer. Spending 18 years as a teacher at Jackson Hole Middle School, Huggins has compiled over 300 wins during his time with the Giants team, while working to develop student athletes on and off the field, and assisting an impressive 30 players in taking their game to the collegiate level.
“For me, its a great honor,” Huggins said. “It’s a tribute to all of my past players for all the commitment to the program, and to my coaches. I feel I have had the best coaches … and just the support from this community, our board members … just that unwavering support of me making the program into what I envisioned it to be. It’s been an amazing honor. I am extremely blessed and grateful. Really, really special for me, for sure.”
During Huggins’ time as manager, the Giants have ushered in an indoor hitting facility, a brick and netted backstop and a clubhouse, while playing their home games at Giant Field, a ballpark now regarded as one of the top natural surface fields in the region.
Huggins graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical and Health Education, and a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology.
He is the son of David and Cynthia Huggins, who now live in Loxley.