A native of Roanoke Rapids, Tom Northington was one of the top writers covering high school athletics during a 39-year career in journalism. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Northington was the sports editor of the Sanford Herald for one year and then spent the rest of his career at the Greensboro News,…
Jack Groce was a great athlete at Wilkesboro High who became an all-American football player at Appalachian State before his graduation from there in 1953. His career as a head football coach at Appalachian High and then at Watauga spanned over 20 years and he never had a losing season. His overall record was a…
The late Charles England spent almost 40 years in education, amassing an outstanding record as a football coach. Born in Newton, he was captain of the baseball team and an excellent pitcher in college at Shaw University. He went on to become head football coach at Pattillo High School in Tarboro from 1949 through ’58…
Born in Calhoun, Georgia, Hilda Worthington was an outstanding coach and administrator at Farmville Central High School from the early 1970’s to the late ‘90’s. A graduate of Broughton High School in Raleigh and a 1960 graduate of East Carolina University, Worthington served as athletic director at Farmville Central in Pitt County for close to…
A native of Shelby, Don Patrick has built a tremendous record as a coach and athletic administrator, primarily at Newton-Conover High School. A 1968 graduate of Appalachian State University, where he played baseball and served as president of the student body, Patrick was an assistant football and head baseball coach at Wilkes Central and also…
A 1964 graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College, where he played on an NAIA national championship football team, Marion Kirby has established himself as one of North Carolina’s top coaches. An all-state player in his hometown of Hickory, Kirby went on to graduate from L-R in 1964 after lettering four years in football. After a year as…
Bob Paroli is currently the winningest active head football coach in North Carolina in over 40 years of coaching. His coaching stops have included Benson (1958-64), Jacksonville (1964-65), New York Military Academy (1965-71), Wilson Fike (1971-76), Burlington Cummings (1976-80) and Fayetteville Douglas Byrd since 1980. He has compiled a brilliant record of 288-143-11 during that…
These two twin brothers have had tremendous impacts on athletics at many levels in North Carolina. The two were outstanding athletes at Apex High School and then graduated from North Carolina State University. They went on to make major contributions to high school officiating. Jim played minor league baseball over a 12-year period, with a…
Donna Norman has compiled an incredible record as a three-sport coach during her career at South Stokes High School. A graduate of Starmount High School and 1976 graduate of UNC-Greensboro, Norman's teams have been outstanding in volleyball, basketball and softball, although she is probably best known for her softball achievements. Her teams compiled a brilliant…
Jerry McGee is currently the executive director of the North Carolina Athletic Directors' Association and has enjoyed an outstanding career in both coaching and administration. A 1961 graduate of Duke University, McGee was successful at both the high school and college football coaching levels. He was head coach and athletic director at Edenton Holmes (1962-66)…
