End of an Era: Poulter resigns from Colfax-Mingo softball post

If not now, then when?

That was the question Bryan Poulter kept coming back to when deciding his future as Colfax-Mingo head softball coach.

“This is the seventh school year that I have been out of the building,” Poulter said. “If I do the math, ninth graders were in second grade when I left and seniors were in fifth grade. I feel like with my style or way of coaching that relationships are important. Them knowing me and me knowing them is important for getting us to where we are trying to get to.

“I kicked it around in my head for a long time. But I also kicked around if not now then when? I think that’s my primary reason. That’s what told me it was probably time.”

Poulter turned in his letter of resignation back in November and this upcoming softball season will be the first time since 1999 that someone other than Poulter will be in charge of the program.

Poulter started coaching softball at C-M in the summer of 1997. He took over the high school program from Gary Grimes in 2000. He spent 23 seasons as head coach, won 556 games, led the Tigerhawks to multiple state tournaments and claimed the state championship in 2001.

“It’s absolutely the end of an era. He’s been in our community and district for 40 years,” Colfax-Mingo Activities Director Erin Hume said. “He’s been invested in these kids for a long time. It’s tough to find that in any district.”

Poulter turned in his resignation on the Thursday before the general election on Nov. 3.

Hume expected the position will have plenty of candidates both inside and outside the district.

“We have an established softball culture with great community and family support,” Hume said. “I think it’s a job someone is going to want, whether they are currently in the district or not.”

Hume knows what it’s like to follow Poulter. The long-time Colfax-Mingo softball coach also was once the school district’s wrestling coach and activities director.

Hume is the current AD and is now coaching the new girls’ wrestling program after spending the last several seasons as the Tigerhawk wrestling coach.

Like with the wrestling program, Hume expects Poulter will stay around the softball program and help out when and if he’s needed.

“He’s not going anywhere. He still lives in town and is on the city council,” Hume said. “He’s just not coaching. He helps me with wrestling still, and I’m sure he will find his way back to help with softball.”

Poulter did not rule out coaching a lower-level program in the district or helping to maintain the high school field. But he’s also got six grandchildren all under the age of 10 and most of them are in activities, too.

“I don’t know what the plan is,” Poulter said. “I told (Hume) I don’t mind working on the field and being around to help. I would even coach a lower-level junior high team or something. But there’s also something else that could take away my time. I just don’t know. I would like to spend time with my grandkids, too.”

There’s never really a good time to step away from a program you have been in charge of for the past two-plus decades, but Poulter doesn’t want to be just the guy who shows up in May anymore.

“I expected maintaining a strong relationship after I left the building was going to be difficult and as each year goes by I know less of them and they know less of me,” Poulter said. “I have had good coaches during those seven years (I have been out of the building), but only one of the coaches last year was in the building with the kids. It’s workable, but that’s the biggest reason for me.

“It’s not that I feel like I’m too old to be effective. I think I can do things still, but it just won’t be in the head coach capacity.”

This year’s upcoming Colfax-Mingo squad features a large and talented group of seniors. It would have been easy for Poulter to stick around for one more summer. But then another group would be seniors the following year.

“I have been through the walk of wanting to stay around for a certain group or class, but there’s always another class coming and there’s always great kids,” Poulter said. “That just brings me back to if not now then when?”

Coach Poulter’s 26 softball seasons included a boatload of all-state players. That list includes his two daughters, Anna and Abby Poulter.

Anna Poulter was a second-team all-state catcher who graduated in 2000 and Abby Poulter earned first-team honors as a catcher and graduated in 2004.

Poulter’s long list of talented pitchers includes Libby Hysell, Jessica Hicks, Jess Hartgers, Amy Russell, Colbee Cunningham and Kylie Doty. All six were at least two-time all-state players.

Hicks led C-M to the state title in 2001 and went on to pitch at Drake. Hysell won a national title and was the NCAA Division III Player of the Year at Central College.

Jaci Faidley was a 2004 graduate and a multiple-time first-team all-state player. She belted a school-record 21 home runs during her senior year and also played collegiately at Drake.

Breanna Trainor, Ries Wilson and Rhiannon Haley all were multiple-time all-state players for the Tigerhawks during Poulter’s tenure, too.

“We have had a ton of all-state players and we’ve been blessed with some amazing pitchers,” Poulter said. “That state championship era was quite impressive. It also was a pleasure to get to coach my own kids.”

Hume, a Colfax-Mingo alum, now has the unenviable task of finding a replacement for the legendary Tigerhawk coach. And it’s also hard to put into words what Poulter means to him.

“He means a lot to me. I wouldn’t be here, back teaching and coaching at Colfax-Mingo, if it wasn’t for Coach Poulter,” Hume said. “He played a big part in the person I am today.”