Don Saine has made enormous contributions to high school athletics in a number of different capacities, including coach, administrator and game official. Saine earned 11 varsity letters as an outstanding athlete at Cherryville High and then went on to UNC-Chapel Hill, where he lettered three years in baseball. He was highly successful as a coach at Dallas High and then at Hunter Huss in Gaston County. At Huss Saine won three league football crowns and coached in both the NCCA’s East-West all-star game and the North-South game, and he also earned six conference crowns as a head baseball coach. In addition, he guided Cherryville to a state American Legion baseball title and for 22 years worked as a basketball game official. For 20 years he served as the athletic director of the Gaston County schools. He is a member of the Cherryville Sports Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.