Travis Barnes, middle, holds the 2022 6A State Softball Championship with his family by his side. Barnes is headed to Austin, Texas, after winning the 2024 6A State Softball Championship with Athens High School. 

Travis Barnes was thankful for the Athens community welcoming him with open arms, which then yielded a state softball championship, in his interview with The News Courier for being named the 6A state coach of the year.

Barnes was awarded with the honor after his Lady Golden Eagles went on a tear through the postseason Area, Regional and State tournaments.

While there were some close contests along the way, Athens softball would dominate in the State tournament, not losing a single game and hoisting the blue map trophy as the premier program of Alabama for 6A.

However, Barnes did not get to this point on his own, but doled out appreciation to his wife, his players and Athens itself.

Travis Barnes

While he cares much more about team awards, such as winning a state title, Barnes did show appreciation for being named coach of the year.

“As a coach you think about getting your players ready to compete. A lot of coaches don’t think too much about individual awards. But, when you look on it, it’s a very special award. I have been coaching for 18 years and I have never won a coach of the year award, so that’s pretty special.”

Barnes made it clear he would not be the state champion, award winning coach he is today without his wife Amy, his faith, his assistant coaches and his players of both current and from the past.

“Number 1, I would have to thank God for putting me in the place I am today and giving me the ability to coach. I would have to thank my wife, because she knows what it takes as both a coach and a coach’s wife. To my assistant coaches, I get a lot of the credit being the head coach, but what they do for the program, the award goes to them as well. The award goes to the team just as much as me.”

He says that he felt good about this team right from the first day.

A combination of senior leadership, young talent and high confidence led to the Lady Golden Eagles having one like-minded goal: winning state.

“I think what made this year different from all my other years is that from day 1 a state championship was on our mind. Before the season started, I designed a state championship ring, printed the picture and hung it on our locker room so the girls know what we are working for,” he said. “That is when we came up with the motto for every rep being a ‘state championship rep.’ I truly believe if you think that way every day in everything you do, your mind just expects it.”

Being ranked No. 1 in the state most of the year, they may have played with a target on their back, but that target just got much bigger as defending champs.

“This last season, when the rankings came out as us No. 1, I told the girls that they are going to get everyone’s best. I think it’s tough when you are being chased by everybody, and that’s where we will start this year. Then again, these girls have experience being chased. We are the state champs until someone (else) wins it. I think that one of the best things that happened to us this year was when Hartselle passed us for 1 and we were No. 2. It seemed like then we started playing our best softball. I definitely like chasing better than being chased.”

However, Barnes is not all softball all the time. He understands the importance of getting away, spending time with family and also having hobbies.

Barnes enjoys hunting, fishing and going on trips with the family to places such as the family lake house.

“My wife’s family has a lake house here in central Alabama. That’s where we are right now (for 4th of July). We have a pontoon boat. I like to go out on the lake. Oddly enough, doing something with your family that is not sports related is kind of the most fun (during the offseason). When we came on this trip, we were like ‘We are not talking about sports.’”

However, when it comes to softball and their time in the Athens community, Barnes is thankful for he and his family being accepted by the loyal softball supporters.

His story shows that resiliency pays off, going from earning his job back to a champion.

“I came to Athens in 2013, they did a real good job of transitioning me … of course, when I left for James Clemens, that did not really work out. I was hired at Athens Middle School. Amanda Tedford was one of the principals there and she took me back. Then, I was assistant coach (of the high school team) for three years and then finally named the head coach. It worked out and I couldn’t be happier. The Athens community accepted me back.”