At Red River High School’s final softball game of the season, the school took time to honor Coach Ginger Craig for her many years of service and dedication to the children and youth of the parish.

Craig will retire at the end of the school year in June, closing out a remarkable 36-year career in education.

Her teaching/coaching journey began at Martin High School in 1990, where she served until the school closed in 2001. During her time there, she coached girls basketball, boys and girls tennis, began the softball program, and even spent time as the boys basketball coach.

In 2002, Craig moved to Red River Elementary, where she continued investing in student-athletes through a wide range of sports and age groups. Over the years, she coached elementary basketball, junior high softball, high school softball, and golf, leaving her mark on countless students and families across Red River Parish.

For 25 years, Craig also served as the director of Red River Biddy Ball, where she touched countless lives through what many saw as her ministry of sports. Through that program, she taught young athletes not only how to play the game, but also how to carry themselves, how to persevere, and how to believe in something bigger than themselves.

Her influence has reached far beyond local gyms and ballfields. Craig has been instrumental in helping develop athletes who went on to compete at the collegiate level, a testament to her knowledge of the game and her ability to bring out the best in her players.

Craig’s own athletic career was impressive long before she became a coach. A standout athlete from Converse, she went on to play four seasons of softball at Northwestern State University. During her remarkable career at NSU, she built an outstanding record and set several marks that still stand today. One of the highest honors of her athletic career came when her No. 3 jersey was retired, a reflection of the legacy she built as a Lady Demon player.

The tribute at Red River High School’s final softball game was a fitting way to recognize a woman whose impact has been felt across generations. Through decades of teaching, coaching, and mentoring, Craig has shaped lives not only through wins and losses, but through the values, discipline, and encouragement she poured into young people year after year.

As she prepares to retire in June, Craig leaves behind a legacy built on service, faith, dedication, and a deep love for the students and families of Red River Parish.

While her coaching career may be coming to a close, the impact Coach Ginger Craig has made on Red River Parish will continue to be seen in the lives of the students and athletes she helped shape.