Ray Chandler: So Much More To Be Said...

Ray Chandler was the Grandfather of NC Fastpitch Softball. He will go into the history books as one of the great softball coaching legends of our time. His impact on girls softball will continue to grow as the sport continues to flourish.

He was a man of small stature, had a Santa Claus appearance and a soft voice. Yet, the spirit and heart of the man was bigger than life itself. He had a passion and a vision for a sport that would ultimately impact the lives of thousands of people. He understood that the game was about building character. He was a living example of all that he believed in. His character was always exemplary .

I had the privilege of coaching with Coach Chandler and my daughter had the privilege of pitching for him. We got to see firsthand how he dealt with his players. Through good and bad, he was always soft spoken. He always had a smile for them and he always challenged them to do more than what they thought they could. He developed their skills and he developed their minds. He taught them how to stand strong and proud as women.

Ray always defended his players. He taught them that he would always stand with them. He continuously proved it with his actions. He wasn’t afraid to do the right thing in any situation…..he didn’t follow the path of others, he would rather blaze his own….and most of all, he believed that each of his players would rise to the occasion if he told them how much he believed in them…..and they always did. It was a mystical connection that he had with his players. They would do amazing things just because he told them that they could. He touched the lives of many young women that will never forget him. He was a very powerful and positive force in their lives.

When you think of Ray, you have to also think of Sharyn. They were a team that could not be beat. They gave 100% of their time to the sport of fastpitch. They took the time to coach young ladies and they held huge tournaments that brought in college coaches from all divisions so that ALL of the teams had an opportunity to be seen . They traveled all over the country with their Cardinal teams to expose them to even bigger venues of softball. Ray even coached High School ball. Their lives were dedicated to helping young women succeed in softball and, hopefully, provided them a better opportunity at obtaining a higher level education by getting them to college through the sport.

Ray’s players (old and new) always have amazing words to describe him. He was so good and so kind to so many. He taught loyalty, honor and truth. He was a hero for our young women. He was a man for them to look up to and admire. Winning was not Ray’s mantra to his players……life lessons were. He cared about the person more than the game.

No doubt, he is in heaven. And, in my mind, he has already found "The Babe", Shoeless Joe, Lou Gehrig and the other hardball greats. He has already begun teaching them the difference in spotting the ball from the pitchers' underhand vs. overhand. He is teaching them small ball vs. long ball. And, he is teaching them how to play 200 ft. fences and 60 ft. base paths vs. those of the boys' version of hardball.

Do not let this man pass into the next life without thinking of his impact on your precious DD, whether your kid played for him or not. He IS, and always will be, the "Grandfather of NC Fastpitch Softball." But beyond that, he was a man that put God first, his family second, and fastpitch softball after that. He did it right....period.

He will be missed by so many. The game will go on without him……but the thousands of lives that he has touched will remember his legacy forever.
Our deepest sympathies to Sharyn and the girls.

Thank you for having shared such a great man with all of us for so many years.
Sincerely,
David, Carol, Caitlin and Coby Kurtz

 

..................so true. God bless!

 

Amen Carol,he also taught us parents how to be better people.

 

Thank you

Carol -

Thank you for blessing us with such a beautiful tribute to such an amazing man. You about broke my heart while making me smile through the tears.

Dawn

 

Rest In Peace - Ray Chandler

The service yesterday in Kernersville, NC was absolutely wonderful! The large church was packed with hundreds of family, friends, players (old & new), coaches, umpires, and colleagues, with all participants intending to celebrate Ray Chandler's life and accomplishments. It was a fantastic and worthy tribute to a softball (and community) legend.

Highlighted by a "sharing stories" segment, where anyone who wanted to share "Ray Chandler stories" had the ability to do so with the congregation, the service was an emotional combination of laughs and heartfelt tears. The experiences shared by umpires, college coaches, and friends were thoughtful and reflective. However, the stories shared by his old players (The "Old Birds") provided a much deeper perspective of how unique Coach Chandler was with his softball teachings and with his players, who had the privelege to play for him.

With so many prominent people present, the service was a literal "Who's Who" of fastpitch softball. Parking was hard to find, the lines were long, and it appeared that most folks just didn't want the event to end. In the end, it was a worthy tribute to a wonderful man.

Ray Chandler did it right....period. He spoke softly....and carried a big bat! With Ray, less was always more....and silence was always loud. The packed church in Kernersville was a shining indicator of how one man can have such a huge impact on a small town, a softball community, a region, and even a nation.

Rest in Peace, Ray Chandler.....your work here is done.

 

Ray Chandler

God bless you Ray. You were an inspiration and a help to so many people.
You will be greatly missed. May God bless your family, especially Sharyn.
It was always so nice to see you both.

Jan,Keith, Liz and Jessie Thomas