Here are the new members and family representatives for the 2022 edition of the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame….
CLICK Below for a brief video show of support….
We couldn’t get them all, but here are our selected interviews from the new class of the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame…We tried to connect with people that we knew a few things about…
Interview with DePaul Mittman, long-time Track and Field coach at Western Guilford High School…Click On Below…
DePaul Mittman
DePaul Mittman’s career as track and field coach has spanned three decades. A native of Mount Airy, Mittman earned his undergraduate degree at UNC Greensboro in 1978 and masters’ degree from NC A&T in 1986. His initial coaching position was head football coach at Ferndale Junior High in High Point from 1978-1984. He went on to become an assistant football coach at Western Guilford High School in 1985 and served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1998-2001. It was as the men’s and women’s track and field coach at Western that Mittman earned his greatest recognition. His team won the 1999 3A State Championship and finished as runner-up in 2000 and 2008 (indoor track) while also winning eight Regional Championships and 15 conference titles. Mittman was recognized as conference Coach of the Year16 times and coached three All-Americans, 16 individual state champions and 64 All-State athletes. He also served as meet director of multiple track and field championships, including the NCHSAA State Meet (1999-2022). Mittman is co-founder and past president of the NC Track and Cross County Coaches Association and served as Executive Director from 1993-2021. Upon retiring in 2008, Mittman was a member of the USATF National Junior Olympic Championship Meet Organizing Committee in 2007-2009 and 2012-2013. Mittman was honored with the NCHSAA Charlie Adams Distinguished Service Award in 2010. The track at Western Guilford was named in his honor in September 2018. In February 2022, he was inducted into the NC High School Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame.
Interview with Sharon Parks, volleyball coach at both Southern Guilford and Northern Guilford High Schools, and trend-setter/ground-breaker for girls and womens athletics in Guilford County…Click On Below for her video…
Sharon Parks
Sharon Parks enjoyed a high school coaching career that started in1985 and ended with her retirement in 2018. During different tenures, she coached women’s basketball, track and softball but was exceptional coaching volleyball. A 1979 graduate of Thomasville High School and 1983 graduate of Guilford College, Parks posted an overall 584-198 record in volleyball during her career at three schools, winning 15 conference titles and being named Coach of the Year on 13 occasions. She coached volleyball one year at Thomasville followed by 21 years at Southern Guilford. Her teams were 377-102 during those years, winning one regular season title, eight conference tournaments, four regional titles and finishing runner-up in the state four times. Parks moved to Northern Guilford High School in 2007, where she started the volleyball program. Over 11 years, her teams were 197-92, advancing to the playoffs 10 times and winning three conference titles. Her 2017 team advanced to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs. Parks also coached basketball at Thomasville Middle School and Southern Guilford, where her team won a regular season conference championship. She coached the track and softball teams at Southern Guilford, then started the softball program at Northern Guilford. Parks was named Region 5 Female Coach of the Year in 1995 and NC Female COY in 2008. She was awarded the NCHSAA Award of Merit in 2008. While a student at Guilford College, Parks was a fine athlete. She was a four-year basketball and volleyball starter, earning All-conference honors in both sports as well as Academic All-American honors in 1983 in basketball. She was inducted into the Guilford College Hall of Fame in 1996.
Interview with Rod Elkins, former Grimsley Whirlies and North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback, and multi-athlete in high school, starring in football, basketball and baseball….Click On Below for his video….
Rod Elkins
Rod Elkins was a prolific athlete at Grimsley High School from 1976-1979, starring on the football, basketball and baseball teams. As a quarterback, he earned All-Conference and All-Metro honors during his junior year when Grimsley was conference champion. Elkins was named Conference Player of the Year, All-Metro, All- State and All-Southern as a senior. He played in the East-West All-Star game and was a Shrine Bowl Game starter and team captain. He was voted Most Outstanding Athlete at Grimsley and named “NC Athlete of the Year” by the NC Association of Sports Broadcasters. In basketball Elkins was twice voted All-Conference and was a member of the All-State Tournament team. As a baseball player, he was team MVP as a sophomore and senior, All-Conference for three years and Grimsley was conference champion during his senior season. Elkins attended the University of North Carolina, where he was a three-year football starter between 1980-1982. He led the Tar Heels to three bowl victories and an ACC championship. UNC was ranked 9th in the country in 1980, 10th in 1981 and had a pre-season rank as high as 5th during his senior year in 1982. Elkins was voted to the 2nd team sophomore All-American team (John Elway was 1st team and Dan Marino was 3rd team) while he led the ACC in passing efficiency. He was named team captain as a junior and senior and ended his career as the winningest quarterback in UNC history with a record of 22-4. A severe knee injury during his senior year ended his career. Elkins is currently National Director of Sales with Sophysa USA.