Breaking: Mardela softball coach Kory Shiles steps down after 21 years

Kory Shiles, the head softball coach at Mardela High School, is stepping down from his position after more than two decades coaching the team.

It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that Shiles would be stepping down as head coach of Mardela's softball team after 21 years of coaching. Shiles said that the reasoning behind his retirement as head softball coach is to spend more time coaching and watching his kids' sporting events at the high school, travel and youth levels.

"I take great pride in the impact our program has made on the game of softball and the Mardela community," Shiles said in a statement. "Those memories will last a lifetime, but I'm most proud of taking our little one stoplight town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and turning it into one of the best softball programs in the state of Maryland and recognized as one of the top small-town teams in the USA."

During his time coaching Mardela softball, Shiles won back-to-back MPSSAA Class 1A State Championships in 2025 and 2026, the first state titles in Mardela's softball history since 1980. His Warriors teams also won 11 Bayside South division titles, six Bayside Conference Championships, and eight regional championships. Shiles won 350 games in his head coaching career with the Warriors.

"Coach Kory Shiles has made an incredible impact on Mardela High School, both on and off the softball field," Mardela Principal Liza Hastings said in a statement. "For years, he has helped young women develop not only as athletes, but as leaders, teammates and confident individuals. His dedication, passion and commitment to our students have helped shape generations of Warriors. We are grateful for his service and wish him the very best in retirement."