Catching Up With…
(Coach) Roger Yancey
Question
#1: What was your position at Towering Oaks and how long did you
workthere?
Mr. Roger Yancey: In the spring of 1973, Max Taylor asked me to help him start a new school in the fall at his church, Towering Oaks Baptist School. I think I was his first school hire as the Athletic Director and Head Coach. Later that summer, he hired Danny Childs as Headmaster. That summer I hired Gary Murphy, Ron Doss, Craig Galloway and Jennie Bradford as coaches. It was the beginning of the most fun four years of my life. I had the privilege of choosing the school's colors, mascot and Wolfpack nickname (which I "borrowed" from North Carolina State who had just upset Houston for the NCAA championship), designing the interlocking TO and the uniforms, etc. - and then coaching the first football team (7th -9th grades), organizing the first cheerleading tryouts, and coaching the first varsity basketball team. Coaches Murphy and Doss started the baseball programs, Coach Galloway coached the junior high basketball team and Jennie Bradford coached the girls' basketball teams. The following year, Fred Yancey was hired as varsity football coach. Great times, great people!
Question #2: Please tell us how you are doing and about your life today.
Mr. Roger Yancey: Today, I'm blessed to be the headmaster at Savannah Christian Preparatory School in Savannah, GA. My wife, Ruth Ann and I just celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary. Our three children, Kendall Archer, Jon-David and Seth have survived our parenting and my coaching, I might add, and are either married with children, married with no children or finishing college. Someone once told me that having a grandchild was like receiving a new heart. It's a great description. Ruth and I have received three new hearts - Johannah Archer - 3 yrs., Jackson Archer - 18 mos. and Gracie Archer - 7 mos. They are the lights and loves of our lives!
Question #3: Fill us in on what you have done over the years since your days at TO.
Mr. Roger Yancy: In 1977, I received my Master of Education
degree and left TO for the adventures of school administration in Little Rock,
AR. For the next 18 years, I was Assistant Headmaster at Pulaski Academy (4
yrs.), went into business for myself for a couple of years and was the Administrator
and basketball coach for Walnut Valley Christian Academy (12 yrs). In 1995,
we moved to Colorado Springs where I was the Superintendent of Colorado Springs
Christian School. In 1998, we moved to Savannah, GA. I haven't coached since
'95 and I do miss it.
Question #4: What are your favorite memories from TO?
Mr. Roger Yancey: It's hard to select favorites from my
memory bank since I have so many. That first organizational meeting in the
blue house of boys wanting to play football for a school that was just starting
is a vivid one. I remember how hard the athletes worked and how hard they
played. We were blessed with good athletes, but they were also kids with great
character, too. In basketball, the years working up to the championship year
were special. We were young, aggressive and determined. We took our lumps,
but with a vision, a goal in mind. That year in '76, it all came together
and the Wolfpack was tough! We were close as a team; we practiced hard and
played hard. They were champions on the court, but they were also champions
off the court. The strength of wolf was the pack; the strength of the pack,
the wolf!
Question #5: Is there a message to the alumni of TO that
you would like for us to pass along?
Mr. Roger Yancey: I would just say that those years at TO were a blessing to my wife and me. I trust God to rescue the stupid things I did out of youthful ignorance coupled with a large dose of zeal. In those TO years, I learned more than I ever taught and I learned it from a great group of guys and girls, faculty and staff. To God be the glory!!
I always looked up to Coach Roger with respect, admiration and a certain amount of fear. The fear has faded over the years but the resepct and admiration remain. Thanks, Coach, for your participation in our web site! Any TO alumni who would like to contact Coach Roger may reach him by email at rlyancey@savcps.com.
Billy Briggs
