Gill Morris was a spectator during many of Adams County Christian School’s baseball playoff games over the past few weeks. He’ll have a closer view next year after accepting the position of head baseball coach at ACCS.

Morris, who is completing his first year at Natchez High as athletic director, is retiring from the Natchez public schools.

&uot;I miss teaching and I miss coaching baseball,&uot; said Morris, who will teach history and also assist with the ACCS&160;junior high football team. &uot;This is the second time I’ve been approached about it. The first time was a couple of years ago, but it wasn’t feasible to retire at the time, and I didn’t miss the game as much then.&uot;

Morris said helping coach his 13-year-old son Jamie in Dixie Boys and attending several Natchez High baseball games as athletic director also fueled his desire to return to coaching.

Former AC head baseball coach Ryan Porter was relieved of his duties as head coach early in the season for peronnel reasons, and assistant coach Chad Lipscomb took over.

Lipscomb has accepted the head coaching position at Manchester Academy.

Lipscomb helped lead AC to a 19-12 record, losing to Pillow in the semifinals of the MPSA&160;AAAA State Tournament.

&uot;I’ve been impressed with what they accomplished and I think I can add some things,&uot; Morris said. &uot;We’ve got some good kids coming back with playoff experience.&uot;

Morris graduated from Natchez-Adams High in 1969. He received a baseball scholarship to Belhaven College after a standout career as a pitcher.

After four years of coaching football and track at Morgantown and Martin junior highs, Morris joined South Natchez head baseball coach Buddy Wade’s team as an assistant coach.

Wade is now a principal at ACCS.

Morris took on the assistant coaching job fulltime until 1985 when he was named over the South Natchez social studies department.

Wade asked Morris to work with Natchez High pitchers in the 1990, the first year for Natchez High. He stayed on until 1992 when Wade retired as coach and took over as head coach until 1995, leading Natchez High to its first division title.

Morris took an administrative job in the 1995-96 school year and was named athletic director at Natchez High last year.

&uot;Being an athletic director gave me a greater appreciation of coaches and what they do,&uot;&160;Morris said. &uot;I despise the notion that coaches don’t teach, they just coach.&uot;

Morris said he is grateful for everything the Natchez public school system did for him.

&uot;I made a lot of friends over there and it’s going to be strange not seeing those faces on a day to day basis,&uot; he said.

Morris said he is looking forward to getting started at AC.

&uot;I just want to thank Rufus Carlock and Coach Wade for the opportunity,&uot; he said. &uot;I worked with both of them at South Natchez and we had a good relationship. I’m leaving a job where I stayed for a long time and plan on doing the same thing at ACCS.&uot;

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