Football Should Be Fun, Coach Says
The North Buncombe Black
Hawks open a new era Friday
night when they host the Madison
High Patriots at Reeves Stadium
in Weaverville. The 1968 Black
Hawks are led by an experienced
head coach with plans for the
future.
Following two disappointing 1-9
seasons, the Black Hawks turned
to Tom Mclntyre to rebuild the
struggling North Buncombe pro
gram. The South Carolina native
signed on in January following the
resignation of former Hawks head
coach Tom Weaver in December.
A former minor league pitcher
with the San Francisco Giants'
organization, Mclntyre brings 30
years' coaching experience and
two South Carolina 4-A state cham
pionships to his new job at North
Buncombe. He also has built a
reputation for rebuilding slumping
football programs.
Mclntyre began his coaching
career at Boiling Springs (S.C.)
H.S., a school which had suffered
through 16 consecutive losing
seasons. After a 1-9 season in 1958,
Mclntyre led Boiling Springs to 15
consecutive winning seasons.
In 1974, Mclntyre moved over to
Hillcrest H.S. in Sumter, S.C. At
the time, Hillcrest had been
win! ess in three years of 4-A com
petition. Under Mclntyre's leader
ship, Hillcrest compiled a 6-4
record with 22 sophomores in 1974.
Hillcrest went on to capture two
4-A state championships during
Mclntyre's tenure as head coach.
Mclntyre decided to make a
move earlier this year because,
"My wife and I wanted to get up to
'cool, green Asheville.' It hasn't
been too cool yet." Before accep
ting the offer to lead the Black
Hawks, however, Mclntyre held
lengthy talks with school ad
ministrators.
As he tells it, "I wanted to make
sure I found a program that could
be successful. I feel like this pro
gram can be successful, but it's go
ing to take some time. We don't
have any kids that have won in var
sity football. We've got to teach
them how to win. They've got los
ing down pat, but we can't live with
that. I'm pleated with the attitude
of the administration and com
munity and I'm especially im
pressed with the student body.
Everyone's been very supportive
and encouraging."
The Western Athletic Con
ference's newest head coach has a
decidedly old-fashioned approach
to coaching, stressing discipline
both on the field and in the
classroom. "I don't run a
democracy," Mclntyre says. "We
don't vote on anything. I'm a die
tator."
When classes began earlier this
month, the Hawks coach sent a list
ot his players to each teacher at
North Buncombe. Mclntyre asked
to be informed if any of his players
were having problems in class and
assured the teachers that Black
Hawk players would have to hit the
books if they expect to see action
on the gridiron. "The most impor
tant thing is education," Mclntyre
says. "Winning is second to that."
Mclntyre makes it clear that he
expects his players to conform to a
higher standard. "Athletes are go^
ing to get recognition. I want to see
to it that it is positive recognition.
An athlete has to be a leader, off
the field and on. Every athlete at
North Buncombe or Madison High
has a little kid in elementary
school who looks up to him and
wants to be like him someday."
The Hawks new head coach
graduated from Wofford College
where he played both football and
baseball. A knee injury ended
Mclntyre's football career, but he
was able to continue pitching and
signed with the New York Giants
following graduation. After two
seasons of minor league ball at
Danville of the Carolina League
and Springfield (Mass.) in the
Eastern League, Mclntyre entered
the service and continued his
baseball career. While at Spr
ingfield, he played with future Hall
of Pamer Willie McCovey.
When he realized that his
fastball was not of major league
caliber, Mclntyre turned to
coaching football. Minor league
baseball proved to be a detour in
his lifelong ambition to coach.
"I went to college intending to
Thirty years and 197 wins later,
Tom Mclntyre is still on the
sidelines, building football pro
grams and shaping young boys into
men. "Football ought to be fun,"
the new Black Hawk coach says,
"We don't have any kids that have won in varsity football.
We've got to teach them how to win. They've got losing down
pat, but we can't live with that. I'm pleased with the attitude of
the administration and community and I'm especially im
pressed with the student body. Everybody's been very suppor
tive and encouraging."
Coach Mclntyre
I
coach. When baseball presented
itself, I decided to give it a
chance," he says. "My dad died
when I was six years old. My
coaches were my only male in
fluence when I was growing up and
I decided very early that I wanted
to be a coach someday."
"but you've got to be willing to pay
the price. That's part of growing
up, learning to be a member of a
team. 1 think athletics is a spr
ingboard for life."
In addition to a new head coach,
the 1988 Black Hawks coaching
staff includes several assistant
coaches in new roles.
John Fisher is the Black Hawks
new defensive coordinator. Ron
McDaniel will coach the Black
Hawks defensive line.
Junior varsity head coach Perry
Sanderson is the Hawks' offensive
back coach and Freddie Brown
will coach the Black Hawk wide
receivers. Randy Campbell, an
assistant at Enka in 1967, will
coach the Hawks' offensive line ths
fall.
Mclntyre will be calling the
plays as offensive coordinator this
fall, but hopes to add another assis
tant next season. The new head
coach also supervises the Black
Hawk special teams.
With only nine starters returning
from last season, the 1988 Black
Hawks may not be the scourge of
the Western Athletic Conference
this fall. But Mclntyre is looking to
the future and is quick to point out
that the 1988 Black Hawks roster
includes eight sophomores, In
cluding the starting quarterback
If past performance is any indica
tion of things to come, this year's
sophomores could be champions
before their graduation day.
Coach Tom Mclntyre surveys team's progress ia scrimmage.