By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON — Ruston High School will be adding one of North Louisiana’s most accomplished baseball coaches to its staff and will bring former St. Frederick head coach Jim Rushworth in as the Bearcats’ associate head baseball coach.
Bearcats head coach Bryan Beck confirmed the upcoming move Monday and called the addition of Rushworth a “big time hire” for the program as Ruston looks to continue building on recent success.
“We’re really excited about adding Coach Rushworth to our staff,” Beck said. “This is a big time hire for our program and our school. And for our kids, we’re extremely excited about that.”
Rushworth said he’s grateful for the opportunity and ready to get to work with the Bearcats.
“I’m excited. I appreciate the opportunity from Superintendent John Young, (RHS Principal Teri) Howe, (RHS Athletics Director Jerrod) Baugh and the whole coaching staff and organization,” Rushworth said. “For me personally, it’s a great move, and I’m excited to get to work.”
Rushworth brings a rich history after decades of coaching experience and an extensive baseball resume to Ruston. A graduate of West Monroe High School, he played collegiately at Panola College before continuing his career at Florida State University, where he was eventually drafted by the Montreal Expos.
His coaching career spans nearly three decades and has spent time at several schools around Louisiana, including St. Frederick High School and Sterlington High School. He also served collegiately on staffs at the University of Louisiana Monroe under Jeff Schexnaider and then at Panola.
“Coach Rushworth’s pedigree speaks for itself and what he has done and his baseball career from being a player to a coach now,” Beck said. “It’s a big time move for our program to get to where we want to go.”
Rushworth reflected on his tenure at St. Frederick, calling the program and its people family.
“I can’t say enough about St. Fred’s,” Rushworth said. “They’ve been my family for years now. I have so much appreciation for them and what they provided for my family. Their kindness and their willingness to commit to what we were trying to do while I was there — I can’t say enough about that.”
Rushworth also thanked St. Frederick Very Rev. Msgr. Matthew T. Long, JD, Principal Dr. Carynn Wiggins and Athletic Director Tony Osborne for their support during his time.
Beck said he has wanted to add a veteran assistant for a couple of years and credited district and school leadership for helping make the hire possible, including Superintendent John Young, RHS principal Teri Howe, and RHS athletics director Jerrod Baugh.
The addition of Rushworth also gives the Bearcats a veteran coach with extensive connections throughout the college baseball landscape, something Beck believes will help with recruiting and promoting Ruston’s players to the next level.
“He can really help us in recruiting and promoting our kids with the contacts he has at the collegiate level,” Beck said. “It’s a really big day for our program and our school.”
Rushworth’s experience in both baseball and football also played a major role in the hire. Beck noted that 33 of the 38 players currently in the baseball program also play football, making the transition from one sport to the other a critical component of the program’s success.
“He’s been a football coach for 20-plus years as well,” Beck said. “He being able to bring that two-sport mindset over and help us transition from football to baseball, which is a challenging thing to do in January, he’ll be able to do that and know what that looks like.”
Beck said he has focused on assembling the best possible coaching staff since becoming head coach and believes Rushworth’s addition is another significant step toward elevating the Bearcat program.
“Coach Rushworth has a veteran presence and he’s going to propel and help our program get to where we need to get,” Beck said. “I think we’re really lucky, to be honest with you, to be able to get a coach like this to come over here.”
The Bearcats are expected to announce more additions to the coaching staff later this summer as they prepare for the 2027 season.
“We’re going to have a really good staff and with a really good baseball team coming back next year,” Beck said. “We’re really excited about that.”
