Rick Strunk has been involved with high school athletics for almost 40 years, with his entire professional career involved with the media. After graduating from Newton-Conover High School, where he played basketball, Strunk attended the University of North Carolina on a prestigious Morehead Scholarship as well as a National Merit Scholarship. He was sports editor…
Moyer Smith had a stellar career as an athlete, coach, athletic administrator and fund-raiser, with his involvement in the NCHSAA primarily involving sponsorship and the Endowment. Smith was a standout athlete at Lexington High School and played in the Shrine Bowl before going to the University of North Carolina, where he played football and ran…
Chris Norman was an outstanding head coach in football as well as a well-respected athletic administrator. Born in Shelby, Norman attended Shelby High School and then graduated from Gardner-Webb College in 1984. After three years as an assistant coach at East Rutherford, Norman went to Shelby where he was a successful assistant coach before taking…
The late Joe Miller, who died unexpectedly earlier in the year, was an outstanding coach and athletic administrator, with his time in North Carolina at New Hanover High School and in the New Hanover County central office. Born in Sewickley, Pa., Miller graduated from Western Carolina University and began his coaching career in Georgia and…
Ralph Holloway has compiled an impressive slate as a high school coach as well as an administrator. Hollloway grew up in South Carolina and then attended Elizabeth City State University, graduating in 1975, with a master’s from East Carolina. He embarked on an outstanding teaching and coaching career, with stints at the high school level…
The late Jack Holley won more high school football games as a head coach than any other coach in North Carolina history. He was born in Ashton, NC, and then was an outstanding athlete at New Hanover High School in Wilmington, where he played on state championship teams in several different sports, before going to…
A native of Cary, Herb Young has distinguished himself as an outstanding game official at both the high school and college levels. A three-sport standout at Cary High, Young played football at the University of North Carolina and then began his career in officiating. He was a high school basketball referee for 35 years starting…
Morris Walker has been an athlete, teacher/coach and administrator during his years of involvement with the NCHSAA. The long-time resident of West Jefferson was an outstanding athlete at Lansing High and went on to graduate from Appalachian State in 1960. He coached for a period of 12 years at Ashe Central and Northwest Ashe, winning…
John Swofford has been one of the NCHSAA’s biggest proponents during his career as an athletic administrator. A native of North Wilkesboro, Swofford was a standout athlete at Wilkes Central and played in both the East-West and Shrine Bowl football games. He attended UNC on a prestigious Morehead Scholarship and played football for the Tar…
Wally Shelton was one of the state’s most successful coaches during a career in education that ran from 1931 to 1974. A graduate of Mount Airy High and a lifelong resident of Mount Airy, Shelton returned to his high school alma mater after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill and compiled a brilliant coaching record. His teams…
