Earl Smith & Vickie Peoples to Receive Coaching Awards

Retiring Wake Forest-Rolesville High School Head Football Coach Earl Smith will receive the NCHSAA's Harvey Reid Male Coach of the Year Award and Enloe Head Swimming Coach Vickie Peoples will receive a Toby Webb Coach of the Year Award at the NCHSAA's Annual Meeting May 7 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill. Smith, who announced his retirement on April 14, has been one of the state's top head football coaches in his 32-year career. Smith was the Wake Forest-Rolesville football coach for the past five seasons and built a 48-20 record. His 2008 club finished 12-3 and played in the state semifinals. He took a Wake Forest program that had never won a conference championship in the school's 50-year history and won three straight league titles. Smith began his coaching career in his hometown of Ledford and later built a statewide reputation in 18 seasons at Millbrook.His Millbrook teams won 10 conference championships and made the playoffs 14 times while compiling a 188-75-1 record. He left Millbrook to coach at New Hanover, a school whose football team had gone 2-38 in the previous four years. His two New Hanover teams were 10-11 and one of the two teams advanced to the playoffs. Smith, 54, has accepted a position in sales with the Welsh Paper Company in Youngsville. Enloe High School Swimming Coach Vickie Peoples put together a stellar career as a teacher and one of the state's top swimming and diving coaches. She has coached the sport for both men and women at Enloe for 26 years, amassing a tremendous records, including a storied dynasty of state championships in men's swimming. Her men's teams earned nine consecutive state championships at one stretch, and her teams have won a combined 28 conference championships and 19 Eastern Regional crowns. In addition, for years, People has directed both regional and state championship swimming and diving meets for the NCHSAA and has earned a number of recognitions. The City of Raleigh designed May 1, 2007 as Enloe Swimming and Diving Day in her honor. The Harvey Reid Coach of the Year Award was named for an NCHSAA Hall of Fame member who is the state's all-time winningest basketball coach with over 800 victories, most of which came at Wilson Fike. The NCHSAA will bestow awards on other coaches at its May 7 annual meeting as well: Norman Trzaskoma, R.J. Reynolds High School Cross Country and Track Coach - Toby Webb Coach of the Year (along with Peoples) Sarah Langley, SouthWest Edgecombe High School Women's Head Basketball Coach and Goldsboro High School student athlete Victoria Williams - Pat Gainey Awards Morgan Leigh Turner of Lincolnton High School and Michael Richard Bass of Fairmont High School - Clary Medals for their participation in more than one sport; a high grade point average, extra-curricular activities and community service. Each received a $1,000 scholarship Darlene Joyner, Northwest Guilford High School who has coached volleyball, softball, cross country and women's basketball in her career - Doris Howard Female Coach of the Year Award Roy Turner, Ashley High School athletic director - Dave Harris Athletic Director of the Year Brooks Matthews, Triton High School - Bob Deaton Principal of the Year Tony Parker, Retired Johnston County School Superintendent - Bob McRae Superintendent of the Year Kevin Connolly, Sports Anchor, WGHP-TV, High Point - Tim Stevens Media Representative of the Year Lynn Bundy, Athletic Trainer of the Year - Elton Hawley Athletic Trainer of the Year.