Newspapers / Chowan University Student Newspaper / Dec. 1, 1982, edition 1 / Page 4
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Silver Anniversaries being observed by Garrison, Hawkins A 'Remarkable team' for building athletic programs Editor’s Note—Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Jim Garrison and Assistant Football Coach and Head Baseball Coach Jerry Hawkins are celebrating their Silver Anniver saries at Chowan CoUege. The following feature was written by Ken Rainville and appeared in the Oct. 27, 1982, edition of the Ahoskie News- Herald. Rainville’s article emphasized the role of Garrison, who commented: “Hiring Jerry was the best day’s work I have ever done.” Hawkins’ record at the helm of the baseball team is 19 win ning seasons over the past 22 years. Together, they have been a remarkable team in advancing Chowan’s athletic program to the forefront among the nation’s two-year colleges. Jerry Hawkins and James Garrison . . reach milestone in coaching coreers. By KEN RAINVILLE Sp(Mis Editor Ahoskie News-Herald Head Football Coach and Athletic Direc tor Jim Garrison, along with Coach Jerry Hawkins, are celebrating Silver Anniver saries at Chowan this season. With today’s high pressure situations in coaching, a 25 year tenure by a coach, at any level, is a remarkable accomplishment in itself. Garrison’s professional record speaks for itself. Literally building Chowan’s Athletic Department from scratch, the Braves today are highly competitive in all sports. Gar rison’s own football coaching record is an impressive 136-100-10, and Chowan boasts one of the finest athletic programs in the na tion. Garrison teams have produced 23 Junior College All-American players and a Junior College Player of the Year. Garrison a Competitor The plaudits for this man could go on and on but to really understand why success seems to follow him, you have to understand the man. Jim Garrison is a competitor. Whether it’s a friendly game of racquetball or handling a problem with athletic finances. Garrison knows only one way to approach the situation—with total dedica tion and a complete involvement in solving the problem. Another characteristic that sets this man apart from so many of his peers is that Jim Garrison has a genuine interest in the welfare and character development of his players. Garrison is as interested in seeing a fourth string tackle go on to a successful and meaningful life as he is to see one of his players named to an All-Star team. Life for Jim Garrison has always been a challenge. Raised in the mountains of North Carolina at Weaverville on a small family farm, he spent his high school days at Mills Home for Boys at Thomasville. It was here that Garrison discovered athletics. “Athletics played a large part in molding my life,” Garrison said of his early days in Thomasville. “Sports opened a lot of doors for me and taught me a lot about life off the athletic field.” Garrison’s high school days centered around athletics but he still found time to become a permanent fixture on the yearly National Honor Society roster. With several choices of colleges to attend. Garrison decided on Gardner-Webb Junior College and Coach Norman Harris. “Played Great Role” “That man probably had more to do with molding my life than anyone,” Garrison said of his former mentor. “He played the greatest role in my development and in itiating the philosophies of coaching and liv ing that I have today. Playing for Coach Harris, I really found out what it was all about.” Garrison was a 6’ 1”, 165-pound halfback at Garnder-Webb, earned All-American status his sophomore year and led the team to a pair of post season bowl games. In 1952 he was MVP of the Golden Isle Bowl and scored both touchdowns in Gardner-Webb’s 14-6 win over South Georgia Junior College. As Garrison finished his junior college career, he was heavily recruited by nearly every school in the state. He finally decided to attend Western Carolina primarily due to the efforts of Coach Tom Young, who had tried to get him out of high school. Jim met his wife-to-be and had some serious decisions to make. After his sophomore year, he and Joyce Malone were married and when Western Carolina offered an apartment as a part of his scholarship package. Garrison had little difficulty in making a decision. Athlete of the Year Garrison played for the Catamounts dur ing the 1953 and 1954 seasons. Although he decribes those seasons as “not quite as suc cessful as those at Gardner-Webb”, he was named All-State, Western’s Athlete of the Year, and graduated with high honors. It was at this point in his life Garrison had to made the decision that finally started him on the road to his present career. Blessed with an analytical mind he had majored in engineering in college and was offered the opportunity for a residency at N. C. State University to obtain an engineering degree. Pro football offers came in. He recognized a definite crossroads in his life. “Things really took a different turn about that time,” Garrison said, explaining his decision. “Our son, Jimmy, had come along by then, I knew my size limitations would hamper a career in pro football. The residency at State was very attractive and Southern Engineering was offering me a position with them.” His decision was finally made, however, when Coach Harris offered him a position on his coaching staff at Gardner-Webb. Jim Garrison was on his way to a career in athletics. After three successful seasons at Gardner-Webb and the addition of Lisa to the Garrison family. Dr. Bruce Whitaker approached Garrison about the job at Chowan in the spring of 1958. Makes Coaching Decision “It was then that I really made the deci sion to stay in coaching. I had really come to love it by then but I had spent my whole life "Sports opened a lot of doors for me and taught me a lot about life." studying for a career in engineering and Southern was still making me good offers. I guess my love for the game of football and working with young people was really the deciding factor.” “After 25 years, if I still had to make the same decision, I would make it the same. I guess the money would have been better in engineering but I learned a long time ago that you can’t measure everything in life with a financial ruler.” Garrison’s first act as Chowan Athletic Director was to hire Jerry Hawkins. Hawkins’ career had closely paralleled Gar rison’s at Gardner-Webb and Western Carolina. “Hiring Jerry was the best day’s work I have ever done,” Garrison said. “We had a k % 4 I Garrison congratulates team after 27-14 victory in 1982 East Bowl The post-season bowl victory was the first for Chowan gridders. Page4^TheChowanian, December, 1982
Chowan University Student Newspaper
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Dec. 1, 1982, edition 1
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