Catching Up With…
(Coach) Mr. Ron Doss
Question
#1: What was your position at Towering Oaks and how long did you
work there?
Mr. Doss: I had just graduated from the University of Memphis in December 1972. I ran into Roger Yancey at a Collierville baseball game (I guess some things are meant to be). He mentioned he was going to start coaching at a new school. One thing led to another. The rest is history. I taught Civics, Geography, and PE at TO for three years (73-74, 74-75, 75-76). During those years I was HS baseball coach, 7/8 grade boys basketball coach, assistant HS football coach. During those years I was able to coach with three fellow Messick graduates: Roger Yancey, Fred Yancey, and Gary Murphy. Following my years at TO I taught and coached at Whitehaven HS for eight years.
Question #2: Please tell us how you are doing and about your life today?
Mr. Doss: While at Whitehaven I met and married a teacher on the faculty in 1981. In 1983 our daughter, Jessica, was born. In 1984 I left education and went into the painting business for 15 years. In 1999 I became an Administrative Intern at Raleigh-Egypt HS. I accepted the AP position at "Hooddale" HS in the fall of 2000. After one year I realized things were not going to improve much. We decided to move to NC (when you move you have to move somewhere-I always thought it would be a good place to live). Our daughter had just graduated from Cordova HS and was headed to UT Knoxville. We landed in Stony Point, NC ( one hour north of Charlotte). For the past three years I have been the AP at Mill Creek Middle School (7th & 8th-530 students) for Catawba County Schools. My wife teaches English at one of the local high schools. We built a house on Lake Lookout, which we all enjoy. It is beautiful up here. I get back to Memphis about twice a year (Christmas and summer).
Question #3: Fill us in on what you have done over the years since your days at TO?
Mr. Doss: I have spent the last several years getting my "feet wet" in a new educational position as AP. We are located in a rural community so it is quite different than what I was used to. Other than a few afternoon ball games I have some time to relax. I try to throw a little batting practice to our baseball team when I get a chance. Ashville and Boone are both about an hour away. I try to do as much fly fishing as I possibly can in the trout streams in the surrounding area. Myrtle Beach is about 4 hours away. It is nice having the mountains and the beach so close. There was not much close to Memphis.
Question #4: What are your favorite memories from Towering Oaks?
Mr. Doss: Like most of the people involved in those years,
there are
many memories to choose from. I would have to agree with Fred Yancey on my
first choice -- the Talent Show disaster !!! Those were the longest minutes
of my life. As I was "lip-syncing" one of the songs, I still remember
a 12 year old kid on the front row saying, "Mom, I can hear him singing".
It was that quiet !!! I also remember those "Wendy" days when I
would catch Turpin and Payne sneaking back on campus with their Wendy bags--of
course, it had to be confiscated and eaten. I remember the great times with
the coaching staff --- ping-pong in the 'blue' house, listening to everyone's
crazy stories, and sharing my "Vietnam" stories with Joe, the manager.
Even then, I knew it was amazing to be doing what I loved, with such good
friends, and still getting paid for it. The relationships developed with the
coaching staff and the athletes at TO were special. Looking back at that first
class of 9th grade athletes and what we put you through during some of
those practices !!! You made it because you didn't know any better.
All of you hung in there, did your best, and reaped the rewards. All of you are better people for surviving those days. My first years of coaching were at TO, and I am sure some of my zeal was off target, but well intentioned. I remember the "loin mitt" in baseball, the short right-field fence, talking with Fred Yancey about changing his "2-minute stretching schedule" after all the pulled muscles--he loved his schedules, putting in lay-ups over Roger Yancey during pick-up basketball games, the coaching staff victory over The Redheads in a basketball game, the TO vs Briarcrest staff basketball game in a packed gym, taking some big swings with my "baseball bat paddle", and how emotional all the coaches and players would get at banquets because it was all from the heart. I remember that crazy PE class I had one year--they wouldn't do right when we went outside so they had to run until they straightened up--they ran the entire period most days and really didn't seem to mind that much-- they just ran and laughed--I never could understand those guys ( Parker Proctor, Ronnie Johnson, "Hollywood", Ken Brixey, Chris Thornton--I believe that was the group! They were really funny.
Question #5: Is there a message to the alumni of TO that you would like for us to pass along?
Mr. Doss: Those first years in teaching and coaching at a new school--it was all very special. Not one day did I feel like I was going to work. I really enjoyed working with so many gifted and talented athletes. I firmly believe you were able to have a positive experience in your school-age life that not everyone in your age group was fortunate enough to experience. Occasionally, I will hear from or run into some of you. It is always heartwarming to hear how all of you are doing. Every once in a while a TO memory will pop up and I will laugh out loud--it was some special time.
To all of you former students out there--"Hope you enjoyed TO as much as I did. I hope what you took away with you helped you on down the road. Best of luck to you and your families. Hope to hear from you. (Coach Doss's email address is "Ron_Doss@catawba.k12.nc.us".)
PS (unforgettable memory): Tim McClelland throwing batting practice and hitting me in the left arm with his famous "side-armed fastball" and breaking my wrist. Every time my wrist twinges I think of him!! At least it got Scott Gray ready for his coaching years--he had to hit infield for the remainder of the season. Thanks RD
Great to hear from you Coach Doss! We hope the big trout are biting.
