Outstanding Leaders Under 40
James "Marty" Kinard
’09 James "Marty" Kinard is currently the Deputy Director for Parks and Recreation in Orangeburg, S.C., where, in just a short time, he has made an impact on parks and recreation as they prepare to host the Dixie Youth World Series in 2024.
team's first season as a member of the CIAA, the Panthers finished 18-0, capturing the Southern Division Title and finishing as runner-up in the 2019 Championship. Kinard was named the 2019 CIAA Coach of the Year.
Marty was previously the head softball coach at Orangeburg Prep. He led the Indians to a regional championship and runners-up finish in the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA).
In 2021, Claflin claimed the CIAA regular season championship, which earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. Kinard was 115-81 overall and 59-7 in conference play at Claflin.
He coached eleven seasons of collegiate softball, 10 at Claflin University -- five as head coach, and one at Coker University.
Kinard, a native of Orangeburg, S.C., graduated from Edisto High School.
In 2017, Kinard led Claflin to its first-ever Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title and a SIAC Eastern Division title. Kinard was named 2017 Coach of the Year. The SIAC title earned Claflin its inaugural NCAA Regional appearance. In 2018, Kinard led his team to 37 wins. In the
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He earned his bachelor's degree in human performance and recreation at Claflin. He also earned a Master of Education at the University of Missouri. Kinard resides in St. Matthews, S.C., with his wife Lindsay and two kids, Easton and Bryce.
