Jim Hill graduated from Northwest Area High School, Luzerne County Community College and Mansfield University. He served our country in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War era. Jim returned home to teach Social Studies at Northwest Area where he coordinated and monitored the Geography Club. Jim was involved in baseball for thirty-six years. He was the Head Coach of the Northwest Area Rangers for twenty-five years. His record for this period was 260 wins – 224 losses – 3 ties. This level of achievement earned the Rangers, six Divisional Championships. His athletes garnered recognition as thirty-nine Senior All-Stars, forty-five First Team Divisional All-Stars, and has matriculated thirty-two college baseball players. In 1984, he was named Columbia County League Coach of the Year, and in 1985, received the Wyoming Valley Umpires Sportsmanship Award along with the Dedicated Teen Baseball Service Award. In 1988, he received the Rural Teeners League Dedicated Service Award, and in 1989 the Chas. Zimmerman Outstanding Achievement Award. Jim was twice named Wyoming Valley Conference Coach of the Year (1989 and 1993). In 1999, he received the Citizen Voice Salute Award and in 2003 the Wilkes-Barre Thunder-Cats Salute Award. In 2004, he received the Teeners League 35 Year Baseball Award, and in 2005 the Press Enterprise Coach of the Year Award. Again in 2007, Jim was named Wyoming Valley Conference Coach of the Year.
Jim was a Rural Teener League coach for thirty-six years, also Rural Teener League President, and five years as 13-year-old coordinator garnering 300+ wins. His teams earned nineteen Rural Teener League Championships, nine Rural Teener league playoff championships and three Teener All Star championships. For the Northwest-Benton American Legion Baseball Team, he was the Founder / Sponsor / General Manager and Coach. Jim organized the Hardball Showcase for thirteen years as Founder and Coordinator. This gave many high school baseball teams the opportunity to play at PNC Field.
Jim coached other sports within the Northwest Area region both female and male for a number of years, fostering strong competitive skills and sportsmanship. In 2019, the community of Hunlock Creek came together, and named a new baseball field. The Jim Hill Baseball Field was dedicated and named, to honor his lifetime commitment to the children of Hunlock Creek and Northwest Area. Jim always had the reputation of working hard, treating people fairly, and being involved for the long haul. Upon retiring, Jim spends his winters in Myrtle Beach SC, playing lots of golf. He has also worked there for many years as site manager for the Snowbird Softball Classic and Lacrosse tournaments for teams visiting on their spring breaks.