By Mark Schmerling
If anyone can be described as the poster person for Polk County sports since 1986, it has to be Jeff Wilson, who recently announced that as of June 30, he’ll retire as Polk County High School’s director of athletics.

 

Fortunately for the Wolverines’ outstanding softball team, Wilson plans to stay on as head coach, a position he has held since 1996. He subsequently became the western North Carolina high school softball coach with the most varsity wins — well over 300.

 

A native of Polk County, Wilson graduated from Polk Central High School in 1981. There he played football and ran track. He is a graduate of Western Carolina University, where he competed in intramural sports and earned a degree in physical education. Wilson has been nurtured here, and has stayed here to give back.

 

“Coach Wilson,” said Polk County Superintendent of Schools Bill Miller, “has been a person who has bled Polk County blue all his life. He’s a true Polk County person who is genuinely concerned about our athletes.”

 

Wilson admitted that he’s always been competitive at sports. As an adult, he was on an accomplished beach volleyball team and played for a state championship slow-pitch softball squad, aptly named “Wrecking Crew’.

 

Also, Wilson notes with the pride of someone who looks much younger than his age of 52, “I’ve done a lot of weight training.”

 

He recalled that shortly after he graduated from WCU, he had nine job offers.

 

He was offered a job at Polk after graduation to begin in the fall of 1986, he said. “I wanted to be a coach who cared about his staff and his players.”

 

As a result, Miller said many former Polk athletes return after graduation to visit Wilson.

Beginning in the fall of 1986, Wilson began coaching football, basketball and baseball at Polk Central. (He’s a big fan of 1970s era Major League baseball.)

 

In 1989/90, after Polk Central and Tryon High Schools merged, Wilson served as assistant varsity high school football coach, junior varsity baseball coach and a middle school basketball coach. In 1993, Wilson served as assistant head varsity football coach under Marshall Sery. About that time, Wilson stepped away from basketball, and became varsity baseball coach.

 

“I learned most of my baseball from Jack Leggett (then head coach) at Western Carolina,” said Wilson. Leggett has become a legendary baseball coach at Clemson, a post he has held since 1994.

 

In 1996, Wilson asked to coach Polk’s varsity softball team, which made it to the final four in the state championships that year, when 1A and 2A schools competed together.

 

“I’m proud of that,” Wilson noted. “It’s the only time I’ve ever lined up in a state championship as a coach. It was a great ride getting there. It’s hard to believe that 20 years have gone by.”

 

He remembers “so many great players and assistant coaches” along the way.

 

In 1997, Wilson became head football coach. “Of course, it was a dream,” he remembers.

 

Over his first four years, his teams won more games each year than the previous year. The Wolverines performed well enough in Wilson’s fourth year to become the first 16^th seed team to defeat a first seed team in the state playoffs, when they defeated East Surry, 16-14, on the road. Wilson remembers that Ben McEntire kicked the winning field goal as time expired in the game.

 

Wilson became Polk’s director of athletics (a term he prefers to “athletic director”) for all of the county’s schools. When the middle school consolidated — “which was a great thing for the county,” Wilson remarked — Hank Utz became middle school director of athletics, a position he has maintained.

 

Victories are an outward sign of one type of success, but Wilson has gone further.

 

“My whole career,” he remarked, “has been about forming relationships with students and players.”

 

As a faculty member, Wilson has taught alternative school, special education, I.S.S. (in-school suspension), health and physical education, including weight training.He says he has a lot of passion for helping people improve their bodies.

 

“It’s relationships with people that have made me enjoy my journey so much. As director of athletics, the real highlight has been working with every sport—male and female,” he says.

 

Wilson held up his left hand with fingers facing up.

 

Touching one finger at a time with his right hand, he demonstrated how he tells his players, “I care, I care, I care, I coach.”

 

Over his long career, Wilson has served as president of all the Western Highlands Conference directors of athletics, and has organized state tournaments. He’s also served on numerous committees to better high school athletics in our state.

 

Special memories? Wilson has enjoyed many.

 

Among those, the ’94 football season was noteworthy as Polk was the number one 2A seed in the playoffs.

 

In his first several years as varsity softball coach, his teams lost to the eventual state champion. This season, his team defeated last year’s 2A state champion, East Rutherford, 9-3, on the road. Don’t bet against the Wolverines advancing well into this year’s state playoffs.

 

Other memorable teams for Wilson (regardless of whether he was head coach), were the 2000, 2003 and 2010 football teams.

 

“I loved our 2010 trip to Lincolnton,” Wilson recalled of the football team that year, coached by Bruce Ollis. That was the only time the varsity team advanced to the third round.

 

Wilson proudly noted that in his tenure, track, wrestling and soccer teams have won state championships, some of “many, many teams, and which are all special.”

 

Among the individuals special to Wilson over his coaching career has been Superintendent Miller.

 

“I’ve had a unique and special relationship with Bill Miller. He helped me become a more complete educator. He really made me feel like a professional. He treats me very special, and allowed me to grow.”

 

Wilson also pointed to former PCHS principal Aaron Greene.

 

“Those two are probably the most prominent in my personal development.”

 

Wilson also refers with pride to Geoffrey Tennant, current PCHS Principal Mary Feagan, Ron Severs, the bus supervisor (Where would sports teams be without buses?) and Rob Weber, the director of athletics before Wilson.

 

Don Millwood, said Wilson, “stood up for me. Three former PCHS directors of athletics –Tennant, Weber and Millwood — passed the baton. I hope to hand the baton to someone else and keep the race going.”

 

Wilson adds many thanks to his secretaries, the front office workers and the women in the central office “for all their help through the years.”

 

Coaches and trainers were mentors for Wilson and they include Roy Kirby, Bobby Bently, Marshall Sery, Richard Hitch, Ed Foster, Wink Mintz, Jerry Hensley and Bruce Ollis.

 

Wilson remembers many famous players. “I’m proud of my athletes who have been coaches,” he said.

 

He also admires Josh McEntire, Ty Stott (noting that he and Stott have coached, respectively, the softball and baseball teams for the past 20 seasons), Jenny Wolfe and many others.

“I’ve enjoyed my professional relationships with many opponents and our coaching staff,” Wilson added.

 

Always a teacher, Wilson points out that “athletics is a good vehicle to teach.”

 

He continued, “I’d like to be known as someone who made a positive impact in the lives of others—coaches, players, community, maintenance crews. They’re my family. I want them to know that I care about them. It’s been my privilege to serve Polk County in many ways.”

 

Along with apologizing to anyone he’s ever offended, Wilson also offers “heartfelt appreciation for my journey in the Polk County school system. I hope to keep coaching softball, and trusting God for other opportunities. I’ve given it my best.”

 

Superintendent Miller added about Wilson, “He’s a fine Christian person who has no malice in his heart. He’s a good role model. I hate to see him leave, but I understand. I wish him only the best . . . He’s just a good guy.”

 

Author’s note: Given how Wilson has been exceptionally helpful to the Tryon Daily Bulletin, I’ll add that when I covered my first Polk County sports event — a home wrestling match — Wilson greeted me warmly in the gym, and offered to help in any way he could.  For the past two-plus years, he’s provided all the help I could ask for.