Story Written by: Mark Gregory
Story Published: April 26, 2026
(London, KY) We hear about heroes every day in our lives. We have heroes in our great military, law enforcement, EMS, and our brave fire fighters just to name a few. My term of hero is someone or something that directly influences your life in a positive way. I believe a parent, teacher, pastor, neighbor, a friend, just to name a few, can be a hero. In this story, I am writing about a man who checks all those boxes. Darren McWhorter, the head coach of the North Laurel Jaguars Baseball team.
Darren began his coaching career at North Laurel as an assistant in football and baseball coach in 1993, he was an assistant in 1994, 1995, and 2000. In 2001, Darren accepted the position of head baseball coach at North Laurel. While maintaining his spot as an assistant Football coach. So, the question you may want to know, unless you already know the answer. How many years did Darren coach? Darren is going as hard today, as he was in 1993, coaching both sports. During this time, his baseball teams have won Region titles in 2007, 2013, and 2016. Darren is also knocking on the door of 500 wins; the count was 483 as of yesterday's win. All of Coach McWhorter's personal sacrifice in 2024 got him inducted in the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Darren is a very humble man and would be the first to say it took a lot of help, support, and sacrifice from loved ones to get him to the point he is at today. Men like Jackie Robinson have been Coach McWhorter's assistant for over 20 years, just to name a few. That list would never end. Coaching 30 years in today's society is unheard of, with assistants staying 20 plus. Coach has been blessed with great players, parents, assistants, and a loving support staff second to none.
Darren is a roll your sleeves up type of man, I found out he has driven his team to every game since being hired as Head Coach. In my other profession, I can write 3 pages about the joys of bus driving. His love of the game and his kids was never ending. He did not only take the responsibility of coaching up great athletes. He also had the responsibility to get the student athletes to the games safe, and back home to their families.
Darren will be hanging up his cleats at the end of the year, after 30 years of coaching. Let me say this again 30 years. Whatever Darren's future may hold. I guarantee he will keep influencing people's lives in a positive way. That is what a hero does.
THANK YOU COACH DARREN MCWHORTER
