Chris Doan considers himself a very fortunate man.When the Louisville, Ky., transplant arrived in Cleveland to attend Lee University in 1992, he had no idea his life would touch the lives of so many who subsequently learned how to become better students, athletes and people through the game of softball.The transition to a small town, however, was not altogether pleasant. But in time the people and the area began to grow on him and he decided to put down some roots.

“I love Cleveland. I didn’t like it when I moved here. I felt like I was in Mayberry coming from Louisville,” he laughed. “But it grew on me quickly. It is a great place to raise a family and I have been thoroughly blessed.”When Walker Valley High School opened its doors in 2001, Doan walked through as the first and only coach of the Lady Mustangs softball team. Now, nine years later, he has decided it is time to step back and take time to get a few more hugs from his two children and help his wife, Shannon, with the chores of child rearing.

“It’s time to be there with family,” he said. “I see what a strain it is on her to work full time and then come home with two kids to take care of. McKenzie (4 years old) is old enough now to be out doing stuff and daddy needs to be there. It’s not fair for my wife to bear the burden. We chose to have kids together. It needs to be a partnership. She has given me nine good years of this and 10 at the middle school.”

The Doan’s also have a son, nine-month-old Cayman Isaiah.Doan graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education to teach, with a minor in biology and religion and went on to earn a master’s degree in administration. It was at Lee where he decided coaching softball was his calling and where he first felt the desire to lead a softball team. His dream didn’t have to wait very long after his stint as a student teacher.

“I started helping out with the softball team while I was at Lee, traveling with them. I fell in love with the game of fast pitch and converted over from baseball,” he remembered. “Once I knew I was getting into physical education and decided to go that route and after working with the softball team at Lee I fell in love with the sport and hoped someday it would happen.“I did my student teaching at Ooltewah and that got me the recommendation for the Ocoee Middle job. When the job at Walker Valley opened I was fortunate enough to get the job here. It has been nine wonderful years.”

Doan was also fortunate to have his wife, Shannon, as his assistant coach when his career kicked off. Shannon played softball at Lee and was his assistant coach at Walker Valley and at Ocoee Middle.“It was great. We were both doing something we loved. We both had a passion for it. It has been wonderful,” he said.After taking the job at Walker Valley, success began to come quickly for the Lady Mustangs. The team made its first appearance in the state tournament three years after the program saw its first pitch.

“A definite highlight is 2004 when we went to our first state tournament. We had no seniors and 11 players. That was just amazing to get to go and experience the state tournament,” said the coach.Doan said he took some advice offered about attending the state tournament that he did not forget.“You never know when you are going to get that chance again. So go have the best time you can and let the girls really enjoy the experience. We did that and we finished fourth and that set the tone for our next year. Our whole goal was going to the state tournament,” he related. “That time we didn’t worry about having fun, it was all business. We made it to the championship game. We were focused on playing ball.”

But the real highlight of Doan’s career at Walker Valley does not come from his team’s accomplishments on the softball field, rather he is unashamedly filled with the pride of having 13 former players go on to sign both athletic and academic scholarships to college.“I think it is 13 kids that have signed college scholarships to play softball. Several players that didn’t sign for softball have signed academic scholarships. That’s what it’s about, seeing these kids have a great time in high school and then be able to go on and do something at the next level and not have all college loans that I have,” he said with a laugh.

Although he is stepping down as head coach of the Lady Mustangs, Doan will still keep his hand in the sport at Ocoee Middle as coach of the Lady Colts.“I’m going to keep the middle school. It’s just a two month season. It is short and sweet and it builds for the high school,” he said. “I’m still going to get to do something I love. It’s not near the competition that you have in high school and it’s not near the excitement of the big games. But you are in more of the developmental stage which you have to have at the middle school level to prepare for high school. I’ve been lucky to have the middle school and the high school.”

Doan said his future more than likely remains in Bradley County particularly since McKenzie will be with her father at North Lee Elementary in two years. But he is keeping the possibility of moving into an administration position open for consideration if the opportunity arises.“I waiver back and forth whether or not I’m ready to go down that avenue,” he admitted. “My little girl will be at North Lee in two years. I have been there this long so I might want to stay and see her go through school.“I don’t know. We will just see and pray about it and try to do what the Lord wants me to do. But I’ve been blessed, I know that.”