Last week, I wrote in my column thanking Jeff Chadwell for his efforts throughout what was yet another successful season for Little League in Corbin. Little did I know when I typed out those words that Jeff would tragically pass away as that column was making its way out into the local community.
I don’t know all of the details behind what happened to Jeff, but early last week I learned that he had experienced some sort of a medical emergency and was in the hospital in pretty rough shape. I stayed in communication with a few folks who were receiving updates on his condition, and joined so many others in hoping that he would pull through. Sadly, that was not the case.
I got the news that Jeff had passed away last Wednesday afternoon, just as I was finishing up the delivery of our newspapers. It hit me pretty hard, because I have known Jeff for years. I first met him several years ago when I began covering Little League games for the News Journal. I, like so many others, would pester him on almost a daily basis while trying to get access to tournament brackets, team rosters, final scores, etc. I didn’t envy the job of being the point of contact for all of that information, but he did it.
Even when I stepped away from the newspaper a few years back, I still maintained contact with Jeff. When I worked for Norvex Supply in Corbin, he would come in to purchase various supplies and I would take those opportunities to ask him about how things were going with his job. He was always approachable.
When I returned to the paper in the summer of 2022, I once again began calling on him for info that I needed for sports coverage. In the spring of 2024, I got involved in the Corbin Little League program on a personal level when I offered to help out with my daughter’s tee ball team. I wasn’t the head coach, but I got to see more of the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into making a Little League season possible. Trust me when I say that it takes a lot of hard work.
This past season, I did actually volunteer to coach my daughter’s team. In doing so, I got to learn even more about the logistics involved in organizing the league. One thing that is definitely required is near constant communication, as several different teams have to share fields for practices and a very large group of kids all have to receive their uniforms before games get underway. There is also the frequent rescheduling of activities due to unpredictable weather, and making sure that everyone has all of the information they need when it comes to taking team photos.
I imagine that all of the tasks I just mentioned probably pale in comparison to the paperwork that must be completed and filed away each year, not to mention the physical labor involved with groundskeeping and making sure that the fields are ready to be played on at game time.
Now, I know that Jeff had help with all of this, but he was the one who was ultimately in charge of overseeing everything. The man wore many hats is the main point that I’m trying to make here, and he did it for a long time.
The last time that I saw Jeff was just after our last game of the season, which took place on Wednesday, June 11. Most everyone had left from Miller Park, and as I drove out of the parking lot he was walking around, locking up gates and making sure that everything was closed up properly. The sun was setting, and there was a general feeling of a job well done as we had all successfully navigated the season, handed out medals to all of the kids, and were now headed home to map out what the rest of the summer would look like.
Later that evening, Jeff sent out the following message to everyone in a group text that included all of the tee ball coaches…
“Thanks to all of your for volunteering your time to help these kids. A lot of them need something fun and positive in their lives and hopefully we provided something they will remember.”
I feel like that summed things up perfectly, both for the season and for Jeff’s overall contributions to the youth in our area. It is incredibly sad to think about the fact that this was the last communication that I will ever receive from him, but I also can’t think of a better way to illustrate what he was all about.
Once again, I send out my deepest condolences to Jeff’s family. Nothing can take away the pain that you surely feel, but hopefully you can find joy in the fact that so many young men and women have been positively impacted over the years thanks to his efforts.
