“I’m very humbled by this,” said Page. “As a coach, you never aspire to that.” The induction is two years in the making, and due in large part to the work of Donna Hudson and Kay Satterfield, and numerous local people who vouched for Page. “I share this honor with
the players I coached, the principals that supported me, and the superintendents. I share it not only with the professional people I’ve worked with, but with my entire family. It’s been a good run. So many people have helped me.”
Born in Caswell County and a 1962 graduate of Elon College, Page began his teaching and coaching career right after that at Bartlett Yancey. For 34 years, he was the head men’s basketball coach, winning seven conference championships and a North Carolina High School Athletic Association state 3-A championship in 1988. His teams posted an outstanding 519-325 record during that stretch and the gymnasium was named in his honor in 1988. He also coached baseball at the school for 15 seasons and was athletic director for 20 years. He came out of his coaching retirement in 1999 to coach the women’s team at BY and posted 65 additional wins including a trip to the regional tournament coaching through 2006.
He has been recognized by the NCHSAA before, with a Special Person Award in 1997 and a Distinguished Service Award a year later. He also coached in the North Carolina Coaches’ Association East-West basketball all-star game in 1988. Page has a lot to reflect upon over his stellar career. After playing one year at Elon, he decided he wanted to be a high school teaching coach. “I never deviated from that goal,” said Page. Superintendent Tom Whitley offered him a job at BY, with Buck Page, one of his mentors. The two coach Pages decided the younger would coach girls the first year, and they’d switch the next year, giving him boys. He taught Spanish, math and science for a year, then just health and P.E.
“I started at BY in 1962, and within two years, all the high schools in the county were consolidated into one school. In the late 60s, we had a ‘freedom of choice plan’, and had six or seven black students at our school. And in 1969, we were totally integrated.” Page said everyone had a lot of adjustments to make, and it was the most difficult time of his career. “We had to blend in players from all the different schools, to function as a unit. I told them, ‘you don’t have to like each other, but you have to respect each other,” he said. “These athletes had played against each other. But we were very successful.”
The 1971-72 basketball team went 24-2. “We had a real good ball club. People really caught on to Sleepy (Claude Taylor). When you’re a superstar, you’re sometimes hard to coach. But he was very likeable. And it helped with integration, to be honest.”
By the 80s, Page was proud to have Keith Claiborne and Dana Elliott on his team. “We played in the Dean Dome. I believe everyone in Caswell County was there,” he laughed. “We had a tremendous following. The place would be full. That was the golden era of our basketball.”
Several BY athletes have had their jerseys retired, and have played some college sports. “I’ve always enjoyed watching and following them. I hope they do well. That’s the biggest thing, to be productive citizens. The fact that they’re good athletes just adds to it.”
Through the years, Page has had opportunities to leave Caswell County. “But there was always something that kept me here. Mainly my family He and his wife Myra have four children, Barry, Steve, Carla, and Leslie. “When you are a coach, it’s not a job, it’s a way of life. I spent an awful lot of time away from home. But Myra was very supportive, and my sons played for me. Leslie played basketball, and Carla cheered for a couple of years. So it was always a family affair. That’s what helped me survive as long as I did.”
For the last 15 years at BY, Page’s teaching load was lightened, and he served as industrial coordinator, keeping tabs on students with jobs. He retired in 1998 after being full-time for 38 years. But the new superintendent asked him to teach driver’s ed. “I’ve been doing that for 14 years, and enjoy it. I go to BY two to three afternoons a week.”
Still being involved with students, Page sees differences in the teens through the years. “This is the ‘me’ generation. But you gotta have collective goals to be successful.“ He offered some advice to the athletes. “You always want be a good representative of yourself, your family, and your school. You always want to be presentable. A pet peeve of mine is sagging britches.” And it brings back a memory from the 70s. “We were in the middle of the Vietnam war, which we couldn’t win. Hair got long. Our team was very good. It was Tim Jernigan and Sleepy’s last season. Tim had long hair. Now, I really liked the kid. But when the season was about to start, I asked him to cut it to a neat length. He said he’d cut it, but wouldn’t cut it again until we lost. But we won 18 in a row! His hair had gotten a little long!”
Page, who turned 73 a few weeks ago, said he doesn’t work for the money, but for good health. He participated in Senior Games, softball, and 3-on-3 basketball. “I’m really taking it one year at a time. I don’t want to be sitting in the house with a remote in my hand all day long. I enjoy getting out,” he said. “I hope to stay active. It would be nice to die at second base, or playing golf, said Page. “It shows you were productive until you passed away.”
Source: The Caswell Messenger (Yanceyville, North Carolina) 22 August 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment