For Northwest-Shoals Community College, sports are back.

NW-SCC interim president Dr. Chris Cox announced the reinstatement of athletic programs at the college during a press conference Oct. 26. Beginning in fall 2022, NW-SCC will field men’s baseball and women’s softball teams.

Cox said the college received approval from the National Junior College Athletic Association at its board meeting Oct. 22 and is preparing a search to hire coaches for both teams.

“This is a really exciting time for Northwest-Shoals, our community and our high school athletes. As a former coach and community college athlete, I know how special athletics are to a college and its community,” Cox said. “This will provide a tremendous opportunity for the college to build even stronger bonds with our community.”

NW-SCC students have been without athletic programs since they were suspended in March 2011.

Cox said the college is requesting to be placed on the December Alabama Community College System work session for approval to request bids on upgrades to the baseball and softball facilities. Once the college receives approval, it will initiate the bid process for those renovations.

“As I said about a month ago, we plan to have state-of-the-art classrooms, and the baseball and softball facilities will be no different,” said Cox.

The college is preparing a search to hire coaches for both teams. Once onboard, the coaches will focus on recruiting and building their respective programs.

“The amount of high school talent we have in this part of the state in baseball and softball is second to none,” said Cox. “We have multiple teams in a 50-mile radius that have been state champions in just the past couple years.”

Cox said NW-SCC will award approximately 24 scholarships for each of the men’s baseball and women’s softball teams. The scholarships will cover books, tuition and fees.

Prospective student-athletes interested in joining the NW-SCC baseball or softball team should complete the athletics scholarship link that will be posted on the college’s financial aid webpage Nov. 15.

NW-SCC will resume its membership with the Alabama Community College Conference.

“The Alabama Community College Conference is thrilled to have Northwest-Shoals reinstate athletics,” said ACCC Commissioner Dean Myrick. “Northwest-Shoals’ valued history in athletics will only enhance the prestige and competitiveness of the conference while setting us on a path to even greater success and notoriety.

“The opportunities athletics provide to future student athletes are endless, and we can’t wait for the success stories of these individuals in years to come.”

The exhibition season is scheduled to begin in September 2022 with conference play beginning in March 2023. Both teams will compete against various opponents within the Alabama Community College Conference, NJCAA and National Collegiate Athletic Association.