MARSHVILLE—Veteran Forest Hills High School coach Eddie “Pop” Rivers has announced his retirement at the end of the school year.

       Rivers has been at Forest Hills for 30 years, coaching junior varsity volleyball for five seasons, women’s varsity basketball for four, serving as the offensive coordinator for varsity football for 18 years, but varsity softball every year. He was instrumental in the establishment of the North Carolina Softball Coaches Association, to advocate for the sport, and served as president of the organization from 2004 to 2010.

       Rivers, a graduate of Frances Marion in South Carolina, has seen his softball teams win 388 games in his career.

       Inducted into the North Carolina Softball Hall of Fame in 2010, Eddie has also helped to establish a website and conduct a coaches’ poll to rank softball teams, and to get softball included in the State Games under the auspices of North Carolina Amateur Sports. He has also worked with area recreation departments to coach younger athletes in softball and basketball.

       He is also active in his church, teaching Sunday school for 30 years and also singing in the choir as well as being involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Forest Hills.

       He earned the NCHSAA Toby Webb Coach of the year honor in 2013.