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Trinity forms Athletics Hall of Fame

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TRINITY – Details are coming together for the first Trinity High School Athletics Hall of Fame, with the first induction class likely coming later this year.

“Trinity has an extremely rich heritage,” athletics director Robert Mitchell said. “We’ve got years and years of great athletes and championships. We’ve got decades and decades of special accomplishments.”

Mitchell said the goal is to recognize achievements of coaches, student-athletes and contributors. The school has been around in some form for more than 125 years.

“We have a wide variety (of potential Hall of Famers) from different generations,” Michell said. “It won’t be a problem finding them. This first class, the toughest part is going to be just narrowing it down.”

Criteria has been established for inductees and there will be a nomination process. If an individual or team is nominated, that nomination will stand for five years (unless the person or team is selected for induction).

An immediate matter is putting together a full Hall of Fame committee. The school principal, athletics director and Booster Club representative will have spots on the committee, while up to four more board members are sought, Mitchell said.

The committee will have the assistance of longtime school observer and historian Dan Warren, who has chronicled and preserved much of the history associated with Trinity athletics. Mitchell said he has been a caretaker of trophies and uniforms through the years.

Potential board members should contact Mitchell ([email protected]). Committee members will be involved in the selection process, fundraising and banquet organization.

Mitchell, a 2006 Trinity graduate and 18-year staff member, has served as athletics director for 10 years. He said the concept of an athletics Hall of Fame for the school was initiated shortly before the pandemic and then put on hold.

“I’ve always kind of wanted it,” he said. “Right now is the perfect time to move forward.”

While honoring the history of Bulldogs athletics will be at the forefront of the Hall of Fame’s mission, Mitchell said there are other benefits. He said this is a way to show current and upcoming high school students the wide scope of Trinity athletics in hopes that they, too, can appreciate the history.

To make a Hall of Fame nomination, a form is located on the school’s athletics and alumni Facebook pages. Mitchell said the goal is to have the committee at work by next month with the first induction in late autumn. The intention is for it to be an annual event.

David Hayes headshot new PG football coach

Hayes ready for challenge at Providence Grove

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School’s new football coach is Trinity alum

CLIMAX – David Hayes has been around high school football teams for more than a decade as an assistant coach.

Now it’s something different. He’ll be a head coach.

Providence Grove hired Hayes, who has close ties to a couple of other schools in Randolph County, as its next football coach.

“I feel like I was ready to take an opportunity like this,” Hayes said.

Hayes takes the vacancy left when Calvin Brown departed to become Asheboro’s coach.

Most recently, Hayes has been an assistant coach and physical education teacher at Thomasville, which has one of the state’s most tradition-rich football program.

But Hayes has other ties close to Providence Grove. He’s a Trinity graduate and former assistant football coach and head girls’ basketball coach at Asheboro.

“I’m a football coach,” Hayes said. “PG worked very hard to get me.”

Providence Grove will open the Hayes era Aug. 18 at East Davidson. The home opener will come Sept. 1 against Bishop McGuinness.

Hayes is a former Guilford College offensive lineman and later a student assistant with the Quakers. He spent time on coaching staffs at Trinity, Southwest Guilford and East Gaston, where he was offensive coordinator for five seasons.

Then he joined the Asheboro staff under coach Kevin Gillespie. While there, he coached the girls’ basketball team to a 54-30 record.

After three seasons with the Blue Comets, Hayes followed Gillespie to Thomasville.

The Patriots could be in a regrouping mode considering that 20-plus seniors were on the 2022 roster. Providence Grove won a game in the state playoffs for the first time last season, defeating host McMichael in a Class 2-A game and finishing with an 8-4 record after a second-round loss to Reidsville.

“The measuring stick might be a little different,” Hayes said. “How quick can we get over the learning curve? It will definitely look a little bit different.”

Hayes said he has always been an offensive guy in terms of coaching. He’s looking to stock a coaching staff.

“Mission 1 for us right now is to determine how many (from the most-recent staff) stay and it goes from there,” he said.

Hayes said he has never attended a Providence Grove football game. When he was at Asheboro, the schools didn’t meet in football, but they did have girls’ basketball matchups.

“Coach Hayes is a true leader (who) brings energy, passion and he has a unique ability to form relationships with all students,” new Providence Grove athletics director Cody Moran said.

The coach’s mother, Renee Hayes, guided Trinity to two Class 3-A girls’ basketball state championships in the 1980s. David Hayes lives in Trinity.

Coming from Thomasville, which went 11-2 last season, will mean an adjustment when Hayes formally starts his duties March 2 at Providence Grove.

“Thomasville is one of the few places in the state where the logo instills fear,” Hayes said.

Trinity coach Tim Kelly with gym plaque

At Trinity, they can call it ‘Tim’s Gym’

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Trinity’s Tim Kelly poses outside the gym named in his honor. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

School names gym after longtime, championship coach

TRINITY – When Tim Kelly took the job as Trinity’s boys’ basketball coach, he didn’t intend for it to be a career-long passion.

Now he’ll be connected to the Bulldogs forever.

The school’s gym was named in his honor this week – Tim Kelly Gym.

Kelly is in his 33rd season leading the team. This stint began as a means to appease his wife.

“I came to this area because she wanted to move over here closer to her parents,” Kelly said. “I’m not going to lie to you, Trinity basketball was not a hot commodity. I planned to stay three years because all my contacts were Down East.

“Three years became six. Six became 12. Before you knew it, I was locked, which I’m glad. I’ve had opportunities to leave and go other places.”

But this is the place that Kelly nurtured. He said it turned out just right.

“Overall, in all those years, it has just been a positive experience,” he said. “(Each season) they don’t want to be the team that doesn’t carry on the tradition.”

Tuesday night’s pregame ceremony in the naming of the gym came prior to the Bulldogs blowing out rival Wheatmore 66-37. A plaque has been installed at the gym entrance.

Kelly, 65, said he’s glad he wasn’t asked to speak in front of the overflow crowd.

“It was much more emotional than I anticipated,” he said. “I’m honored. But the game is the main thing – the kids. If I hadn’t had good kids, this wouldn’t be happening.”

The Bulldogs delivered on this night.

Junior guard Dominic Payne racked up 32 points as Trinity (15-5, 5-3 Piedmont Athletic Conference) still hasn’t lost consecutive games this season. Gavin Strickland scored 13 for Wheatmore (5-13, 0-8).

“I think it was a big test for us and a bigger environment for us,” Payne said of the atmosphere amid the attention the game drew because of the gym naming. “I think we did really good with the pressure that we had with Tim Kelly’s gym.”

Senior forward Dylan Hodges said, “I’m glad it’s going to be his gym.”

Kelly had never been a head coach when he arrived. Bonds built and it became a long-term match.

“Over the years, they’ve all bought in,” he said. “Our culture has been able to maintain. The main things we’ve tried to get kids to buy into, they’ve done. I’ve had great parents (of players) for the most part.”

Kelly directed the Bulldogs to the Class 3-A state championship in 2004 and a runner-up finish in 2008. He has been in charge for nearly 650 victories.

Yet there have been style changes along the way.

“I’m not as verbal. I used to be a really hard, old-school coach, in your face,” he said. “I don’t do that as much, part of that is because my age.”

The building of relationships became as important as the game results.

“We want the kids to know we love them,” Kelly said. “In fact, I tell them I love them.”

Kelly said the support this week was indicative of the backing he has received for years in his coaching role. The gym naming was just another example.

“I think that will hit more when I’m done,” he said. “Right now, I’m still planning on coaching.”

In a light-hearted conversation with wrestling coach Brandon Coggins, Kelly offered a reminder.

“If you stay here 20 more years, you’re going to be in my house,” he said.

Then Kelly jokingly added: “Tim’s Gym”

Athelete-of-the-Week

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Spencer May

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Trinity | wrestling

In this match from last season, Trinity’s Spencer May works over Riley Shaw of West Wilkes in a 113-pound bout. (Randolph Record file photo)

May claimed tournament titles on back-to-back weekends.

He won on his home mats Dec. 10 on his way to winning the Most Outstanding Wrestler award in the Trinity Invitational.

In capturing the 120-pound division, May recorded pins in the quarterfinals and semifinals. In a high-level matchup in the final against Asheboro’s Xavier Santos, May prevailed with a 10-7 decision.

May, a junior, followed that performance by winning the title this past weekend’s Porter Ridge Invitational.

RandolphCountySchools-01

Randolph Board of Education approves SRO contracts for additional elementary school support

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ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Schools Board of Education met Monday, November 21, where they were given an update on SRO contracts, school improvement plans, and a potential calendar plan for future school years.

The board was given an update on the school system’s new SRO contracts.  

“It’s been in the works for a while to add some SRO presence at the elementary schools,” said Superintendent Stephen Gainey. “We wanted to make sure we could get the officers trained and recruited, and that was handled by the Sheriff’s Department. Just the need to have some presence there. Right now, we have 13 SROs between our middle and high schools, and they are all assigned to an elementary school. So these will be additional support. There will be four officers divided between the 17 elementary schools. One officer will have five, and the other three [schools] will have four apiece and just provide additional support as we can and build additional relationships between children and officers. These officers, these elementary schools will be their sole roles.”

The contract will pay a sum total of $119,007 which includes the cost of salaries, benefits, training, and supplies.

The board also heard a naming request for the Trinity High School Gymnasium.

“The Randolph County Schools System has been approached about naming the Trinity High School gymnasium after Tim Kelly,” said Executive Director of Operations Dale Brinkley. “Tim Kelly is the current boy’s basketball head coach at Trinity High School and has served in this role for 34 seasons. Since starting his career in 1989-90 as Trinity High School’s head boys basketball coach, Coach Kelly’s teams have won various conference, sectional, and state-level championships. He also has received various coaching awards and has served as a role model and mentor. The request is to name it Tim Kelly Gymnasium.”

Since Kelly is technically currently classified as a volunteer and is no longer an employee, there would be no conflict with the naming rights should the board approve the request at their next meeting.

The board was also given an update on a grant that was received by one of the district’s elementary schools.

“Tabernacle Elementary School received the North Carolina Outdoor Heritage Advisory Go Outside Grant in the amount of $1,800,” said Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Cathy Waddell. “The grant was received on September 28, and it will go towards the funding for 5th-grade students to attend Camp Caraway for outdoor science activities.”

The board then approved the first reading of the 2024-25 school calendar.

“The Calendar Committee met and developed a draft of the 2024-2025 school calendar,” Brinkley said. “The calendar includes 180 student days, 14 teacher workdays, 11 holidays, and ten annual leave days for a total of 215 days as required by the calendar guidelines. It also includes an inclement weather makeup plan, similar to the 2023-2024 school calendar.”

In accordance with the calendar, the school year will begin August 26, the first semester will end January 17, the second semester will begin January 23, and the school year will end June 10.

The calendar will now go out for public comment before being voted on again at the next meeting.

The board also approved the school improvement plans for the 17 schools that were not designated as low performing. The other 15 schools that were designated as low performing are still undergoing board review.

The Randolph County Schools Board of Education will next meet December 19.