BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
JANUARY 10,20181 9
The fabric of Bertie County since 1832
Sports
Coach
From 8
so once football season
was over, 1 would drive
to Askewville for prac
tice and games,” he con
tinued. “It was always in
teresting the next day at
school as we discussed
who won and lost.”
While still coach
ing at the elementary
schools, Whitaker re
ceived his first opportu
nity to coach at the var
sity level at Bertie High
School. In 1990, the late
Ron Cooke asked him
to serve as an assistant
on the varsity baseball
team, and Whitaker
gladly accepted the op
portunity.
“Every day 1 would
conduct practice at
Askewville and leave
there and go to Bertie
High,” he said. “At least
once a week, my team
at Askewville would go
to the high school for
practice.”
Whitaker said par
ents from Askewville
Elementary would help
him transport the stu
dent-athletes.
A year later, then BHS
football coach Spencer
White asked Whitaker to
join the football staff as a
scout on Friday nights.
“He asked me if 1 was
interested, and 1 knew it
would be a great start
for me,” Whitaker said.
He remembered the
first year fondly.
“That year it seemed
like once the confer-
efiice season started,
the next week’s op
ponents were always
playing Northwest Hali
fax,” he mused. “1 made
several trips there that
year. The people in IHe
press box treated me
like family. At halftime,
they always brought me
a hot dog, popcorn and
a drink.”
Whitaker began
coaching at Bertie High
School in earnest the
following year, serving
as an assistant varsity
and junior varsity foot
ball coach. It’s a role in
which he would contin
ue through 2013 when
he was named Director
of Athletics.
In addition to coach
ing football, Whitaker
continued as the varsity
baseball assistant until
taking over as head jay-
vee coach in 1995 and
1996. He was then pro
moted to head varsity
baseball coach in 1997,
and remained in the
role until being named
AD. During the span,
he spent several stints
as head jayvee football
coach, winning a hand
ful of league champion
ships.
As he looked back
on those years coach
ing, three highlights
stood out to him. Two
were among the biggest
accomplishments in
Bertie High School his
tory - the 1995 and 2000
state football champi-
Fourth
FILE PHOTO
Randy Whitaker (center) took time recentiy to read to eiementary schooi students and speak to them about Bertie High Schooi athietics.
onships.
The third was the
1999 varsity baseball
team which reached the
third round of the N.C.
High School Athletic As
sociation playoffs.
“We were two wins
away from playing for
the state champion
ship, and lost to Wilson
Pike in the bottom of
the seventh inning at
their place,” Whitaker
recalled. “They went on
to win the state champi
onship that year.”
He said those accom
plishments stand out,
but he remembers each
team differently.
“As for teams, it is
hard for me to select
a single team because
each one of them were
special,” he said. “Each
team brought a unique
ness to themselves.
They always worked
hard, and represented
the school well. That is
all 1 could ask for.”
Despite his coaching
success, Whitaker said
he knew he wanted to
lead the entire program
at some point.
“1 had decided years
ago that 1 wanted to be
athletic director before 1
retired,” he said. “When
Coach Marvin Rankins
retired, the opportunity
arose.”
Whitaker said he was
fortunate to be chosen
by then-BHS Principal
Rickey Eley, and he is
grateful for the vote of
confidence.
“1 appreciate Coach
Eley having confidence
in me to select me as
the new athletic direc
tor, and 1 also thank
Coach Rankins for giv
ing me the opportunity
to prepare for the job.
He let me help him with
duties for several years
before he retired.”
The promotion to
Athletic Director meant
Whitaker’s retirement
from coaching, but it
was a sacrifice he was
ready to make - and one
he doesn’t regret.
“It has been great,”
he said of the AD’s role.
“1 have enjoyed work
ing with the coaches,
student-athletes and
administrators. There
has been one common
goal - do your best and
represent the school in
a positive manner.”
Whitaker said the re
lationship he had with
athletes, coaches, ath
letic directors, parents,
media, game officials
and opposing teams
helped him in the role.
He also expressed
his appreciation for
those who volunteered
to work at home ball
games, adding most
people don’t know how
hard it would be to host
games without the vol
unteers.
As he looks back on
his four years at the
helm of the athletic pro
gram, Whitaker said he
is proud of what has
been accomplished.
“Seeing the athletic
teams progress from the
beginning of the year to
the end of the season
is rewarding,” he said.
“You are not going to
have a championship
team every year, but
teams should always
grow.”
Whitaker said he was
also proud of seeing the
school receive a Sports
manship Award from
the NCHSAA for being
an ejection-free school
in two of those years.
Now, he is handing
off those reins to Bertie
football coach Grantley
Mizelle, who has agreed
to accept the role on an
interim basis. As Whita
ker retires, he said he is
grateful for his years at
BHS.
“1 have always tried to
be there for my coaches
and athletes,” he said.
“1 have always tried to
be fair, and do what was
best for the program
and the school.
“As Athletic Director, 1
tried to attend as many
away games as pos
sible,” he added. “Even
when 1 was coaching, 1
tried to make as many
games as 1 could. 1 think
it is important for the
coaches and players to
see you there to sup
port their program.”
As he plans ahead,
Whitaker said there is
still much to do in his
life.
“1 plan to enjoy my
life,” he said. “There are
some things on a list 1
have that 1 would like to
do, but my commitment
to my duties left me un
able to in the past.”
One of those is seeing
his beloved Cincinnati
Reds play in their home
stadium.
“1 have always wanted
to go, but never have,”
he said.
Whitaker said he also
looks forward to fulfill
ing his role as a member
of the Windsor Board of
Commissioners. He was
sworn in last month af
ter being elected to his
first term in November.
“1 look forward to
serving the citizens of
Windsor,” he said.
Looking back, Whi
taker closed, “To my
athletes and coaches,
even though 1 have re
tired 1 am only a phone
call away, and you will
still see me at athletic
events. 1 will be the one
wearing a pair of shorts,
and a Bertie jacket in
30-degree weather.”
From 8
first-round bye. Georgia
would have demolished
use and Big Ten fans
could have seen how
Ohio State fared against
Alabama.
Since I’m suggesting
a major change to col
lege football, let me of
fer a radical solution to
problem number two.
They could take the
revenue generated by
the additional two play
off games to pay divi
sion one college foot
ball players.
ESPN pays $80 million
a year to broadcast the
Rose Bowl. That game
alone would ensure that
all 85 players on all 129
FBS teams could receive
$7,000 and there would
still be a few million dol
lars left over.
1 told you my idea
was radical. That
doesn’t mean it’s wrong
though.
David Friedman is a
long time sports writer
and columnist. A Bertie
High School graduate, he
and his family currently
reside in Wilmington.
David can be reached
via e-mail at fourthand-
longcolumn@gmail. com.
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