News: Tom Sims Passes Away After Long Fight with Cancer

Ashburn (Nov. 22, 2011) - Tom Sims, Shamrocks girls fastpitch softball U18 head coach, passed away Monday after a long fight with cancer. He is survived by his two daughters, Broad Run High School senior softball and volleyball standout Kate Sims and her freshman sister, Allie. The girls lost their mother, Kitty Sims, to breast cancer in March.

There was a outpouring of community support for the family this week, especially on Twitter with the hashtag #prayingforthesims.

Sims stepped in to take over for the Shamrocks squad in the summer of 2010 after longtime 18U head coach Tommy Orndorff retired.

VivaLoudoun will post details on Sims' funeral arrangements as they are made available and also any community efforts to help the two daughters. Our thoughts and prayers go out this Thanksgiving week to both Kate and Allie Sims.