Five Questions for Roy Turner, former teacher, coach, athletic director, and official/referee in Guilford County at Dudley High School and at Southeast Guilford High School, and Roy Turner was recently named one of the Top/Favorite coaches from over the years, in Guilford County…We look back at the Roy Turner Journey today and find our more about how he went from Point A to Point B, and then on to Point C, over the years…We thank Roy Turner for taking the time to visit with US today, here at GreensboroSports.com….
1)How many different sports did you coach back in the day?
I had the honor of coaching Girls’ Basketball, Track, Football (Jr. and HS) and Baseball (Jr. and HS).
2)Your favorite sport to coach??
Beyond a doubt it was baseball. Baseball is like a game of chess where every move has a counter move. It is a unique sport because you cannot shorten the game (21 outs) like other sports once the outcome is no longer in doubt. I had the honor to work with some of the “Best of the Best” coaches in NC (Kevin Callahan, Chris Causey, Rusty Lee, Larry Farrer, Brett Garrett, Shane Taylor, Mike McLean, Joey Hackett, Randall Hackett, Ron Sharpe, etc.) who challenged me to grow and learn.
3)A few of the players that you coached that people might recognize???
We had some great athletes in the mid 90’s at Dudley: Brandon Haywood, Braxton Williams, Vincent Whitt, OJ Lennon, Bryron Talton, Marcus Hood, Chris Young, Michael Posey, etc. At Southeast we had some athletes move to the next level such as Mike McLean, Toby Middleton, Brent Morehead, Heath Caligan, Stanley Morrow, etc.
4)What made you decide to leave coaching and become an AD????
Andy, when I was offered the position at Dudley, I had to think about the opportunity to move to another higher platform or stay on as the head baseball coach. After receiving Advice from Rusty Lee and Mary Jo Lentz, I decided to step up and embrace the opportunity to influence 450 student-Athletes including the 35 in the baseball program. I still miss Coaching 3rd and from time to time I catch myself giving signs to the batter and runner(s) for the next pitch at baseball games.
I have been blessed to work with some of the most influential Education-Based leaders in North Carolina (Jimmy Grimsley, Jerry McGee, Charlie Adams, Que Tucker, Bobby Guthrie, Mark Dreibelbis, Jack Musten, Bob Sawyer, Fred McDaniel, Joe Miller, and all the members of the NCADA.
5)You can do only one, would it be Officiate, Coach, or be AD?????
Andy, as you know since my son was a senior at Southeast, I have looked at Life as Game to be played and a Journey to be taken by each of us. I think each role that I have engaged in has prepared me in some way for another platform. As you know, I have played every role of interscholastic athletics: Player (debatable), Coach, Official, Athletic Director/Game Administrator, and now Regional Supervisor of Officials. The journey has prepared me for the opportunity to influence change and inspire growth in each of these roles. As everyone who has ever taken this journey, if we could make a wish, it would be each: one more at bat, Coach one more game, and Officiate on more game to chase the perfect game.
Bonus Question:What do you remember most about Southeast Guilford High School? Dudley High School??
I’ll start with Dudley. When I was hired in 1991, the baseball team had lost 47 straight games and we did not have a field to play on. I had to project a vision and put the pride back into the program. The guys bought in and we went to work to improve fundamentals (skills) and to build the “Field of Dreams” for future Panthers. We won our first home game 2-1 and Panther Pride was back.
The toughest decision I ever made was to leave my alma mater (Dudley) and return to Southeast Guilford where my kids, Todd and Tabitha were enrolled. I knew we had unfinished business at Dudley, but I wanted to accept another challenge at Southeast. We immediately started working on our vision and mission, staff, facilities, and programs. We created a strategic plan and started women’s lacrosse. We were able to raise money and build a fitness/weight room for all Student-Athletes. With the help of the community, student-athletes, and a great coaching staff, we were able to improve and enhance Falcon Pride at Southeast Guilford.
I have been blessed to work with great leaders, coaches and players. To each person who has joined me on this journey, I would first like to apologize to you and then say “Thank you” for sharing your gifts and talents with me and for always making me feel special.
**********A friend to all, Roy Turner**********
Roy Turner Bio, and where he is now…
Roy Turner, CMAA, CIC the retired athletic director of Ashley High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, is very involved at the state level with the NCADA (NC Athletic Directors Association) and NCAAE (North Carolina Association of Athletic Education) aa well as the national level with the NIAAA (National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association) and NFHS (National Federation of High Schools).
A lifetime member of the NIAAA, Turner has served on the NIAAA Board of Directors representing Section III and the Leadership Training National Faculty. He has been active in the development and implementation of numerous NIAAA Professional Development classes. He has served as North Carolinas representative to the NIAAA Delegate Assembly and has represented NC as the Co-State Coordinator for NIAAA Leadership Training since 2002. Roy has presented numerous workshops at the NIAAA Annual State Coordinators Meeting, North Carolina Athletic Directors State Conference, and NCAAHPERD Convention. He was a contributor (Chapter Ten, Technology) to the NIAAA’s “Guide to Interscholastic Athletic Administration.”
At the state level, Turner has been a member of the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association (NCADA) since 1995. He has served as its secretary, vice president, president, and as a member of its Executive Board of Directors. Turner is also active in the NCADA Leadership Training program as a member of its Leadership Training Teaching Faculty and co-chairman of the Leadership Training Program. He has taken (44 NIAAA Leadership Training Institute courses since 2000. Turner has taught or assisted with 31 different LTI courses in North Carolina. Also, he developed the NCADA’s Professional Development Plan and maintained the NCADA website.
In 2004, Turner was the recipient of both the NCADA State Award of Merit and the NCADA Distinguished Service Award for meritorious service. In 2006 he received a Citation from the National Federation for recognition of contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state, and national levels. The NCADA nominated him for the Frank Kovaleski Award for Professional Development in 2007, 2008, and 2009. He was recognized as Athletic Director of the Year by the NCADA and NCHSAA in 2009. He received the NIAAA Frank Kovaleski Award for Professional Development at the 2009 National AD Conference in Grapevine, Texas. In 2010, he was recognized as the National AD of the Year by NASPE.
Roy spoke to a congressional briefing with Congressman Mike McIntyre about the ‘Value of Educational Athletics” in March of 2012. Roy was recognized as Athletic Director of the Year by the NCHSAA again in 2012. In 2014 he was recognized as one of the Top 100 Athletic Administrators over the past 100 years by the NCHSAA and received the Charlie Adams Distinguished Service Award for Region II. In 2015, Roy received the Jerry McGee Award of Excellence in March. In September, he was awarded the NIAAA Jim Teff Achievement Recognition for his work with Bobby Guthrie in the creation and implementation of the NCADA Toolbox. In October of 2015, Roy received the Lifetime Achievement Award from NCAAHPERD. In July of 2016, he replaced Jerry McGee as Executive Director of the NCADA. He was inducted into the NCADA Hall of Fame in 2017, the NIAAA Hall of Fame in 2018., and the George Whitfield Hall of Fame in January of 2021.
He is lucky to be the husband of Rhonda and proud to be the father of Todd and Tabitha Turner. Rhonda is the Director of Finance for New Hanover County Schools. Todd is a professional photographer (Todd Turner Photography) and sells Real Estate in Greensboro, and Tabitha is a freight broker for MegaCorp Logistics in Wilmington.