For the last 20 years, Josh Virgil has been a fixture for Fabius-Pompey athletics.

“He just lifts you up through his positivity," Fabius-Pompey varsity softball head coach Ben Neadom said. "He really helps those girls in a positive way.”

For two decades, Virgil has been an assistant for soccer, basketball and baseball with the hope of one day leading his own team.

And that dream is now a reality. After a long fight for change, championing legislation allowing those like him with physical disabilities the opportunity to become head coaches, Virgil is now living a dream as the head coach of the Fabius-Pompey junior varsity softball team.

“It was mixed emotions because I've always been an assistant, and now that I've got the dream come true and I was offered the job and I accepted it, it was like, ‘Wow. OK, first nervousness,’ " Virgil said. "I'm actually doing it. But then the excitement overtook the nervousness. I've had all these great mentors and tutors throughout these years. Now it's time for me to put all that together. And the excitement just was overwhelming, and actually, it really didn't hit me until that first day of practice when I was an assistant.”

But a coaching transition always has its challenges. On top of learning and trying to teach the game to his players, Virgil must adopt a new mindset.

“I’m trying to do both at the same time," Virgil said of balancing being a head coach with his long-time assistant coach mindset. "Get on the girls in a positive way and motivating them, but also being trying to keep that same communication open.”

But the best part about his journey is that he’s not in this alone. His father, Warren, is right there by his side as his assistant.

“It's pretty cool," Warren Virgil said. "You know, I was hoping one day of being able to play softball with him. Of course, that opportunity disappeared. But to be out here with him, pretty special to be his assistant. The community is behind him, the family's behind him. It's just what it is.”

“My dad's like my best friend," Josh added. "He's the one that taught me this game. I remember watching him play slow pitch softball when I was in diapers, practically. And for us to be able to continue this on this legacy, so to speak, of the father and son growing up with the sport, still continuing it, it's just adding to the dream and keeping it going. The best part of it is now I'm his boss. He's been my boss for 45 years. Now I can take over and kind of tell him what to do.”

The duo enjoyed success early and often, winning their first ever game together in mid-April.

“When people are ready, when they feel like they know that they can do what they want to do, that I'm hoping that this will help them," Josh said. "Inspire them to work for their goals once they're ready and they know that they can do it and want to do it. I didn't think this day would come, and for it to be middle of April to 2023, and it's a beautiful day like this, and to be out here on the field with the girls, it's absolutely a dream come true. Absolutely.”