During the month of February, in honor of Black History Month, the NCHSAA website will feature information about African-Americans who have made major contributions to the great tradition of high school sports in our state. We hope you find these both entertaining and informative. Our thanks to Rick Strunk, former NCHSAA Associate Commissioner, on his research into many of these articles and Championships.

DAVID LEE LASH 

David Lash compiled a tremendous coaching record in both football and tennis during his career, which spanned from 1943 through 1975. Lash was born in Walnut Cove and attended Atkins High School in Winston-Salem before graduating from Shaw University in 1940. During his coaching career at Carver, Atkins and East Forsyth, he was involved with two football state championships and 15 regional crowns in the old North Carolina High School Athletic Conference. He won five state titles in tennis and was a tireless promoter of that sport, working well after his retirement teaching and promoting tennis.

His career record as a head football coach was a stellar 248-76-6. Lash is a member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County High School Hall of Fame and also served the NCHSAC as the executive secretary for the western part of the state and was very involved when that organization merged with the NCHSAA. He was inducted into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in the class of 1997-98.