Every journalist has a moment in his or her career where it’s either pass the test or move on.
In my case, it was Bill Chappell.
Some context, first. I did not know the Dalton High School football head coach in 1987, but I sure knew who he was – and I was, to say the least, quite uneasy about the inevitable assignment of interviewing a man who seemed gruff and unapproachable on the sidelines.
There were pictures in the sports pages of him screaming at officials, his veins bulging in his neck. I mean, what would he say if I asked a dumb question? Would he make me do up-downs for 15 minutes? Even worse, would he just dismiss me as yet another would-be writer who had no future in what was, at then, a very competitive market?
Fortunately, though, the News-Free Press staff, of which I was still auditioning to become a full-time member, had David Jenkins, a master of many sports and our resident Northwest Georgia expert. He covered the big games, which meant seeing the Catamounts quite often, but my number finally came up in late October when Dalton hosted neighbor Southeast Whitfield.
Both teams came in ranked, but no one really thought the Raiders, 0-8 against the Catamounts to that point, had much of a shot. This would be easy, I remember thinking. A big win in what was a key region game. Chappell will be in a great mood, making for an easy intro and I will clear this hurdle.
Think again.
The Raiders, behind great running back Patrick Fields, pulled off a 14-13 upset at Harmon Field. I could have just interviewed the winning side and put Chappell off for another day, but I had prepared for the moment and went for it as he was standing off to the side watching as the visitors celebrated on his field.
I was surely about to get chewed up and spit out, grounded into sportswriter mincemeat.
A funny thing happened next, though. I introduced myself and he, after managing a smile, said he had read some of my articles and was happy to meet me. He graciously answered my questions about the game and invited me back anytime.
I took him up on that offer dozens of times until he retired in 1996 with 317 wins and the legacy of never having endured a losing season in 32 years.
That October memory came rushing back Sunday evening when I learned Coach Chappell had passed away at the age of 91.
His athletic accolades are too many to list in this spot, but here are a few: one state championship, five runner-up finishes, eight seasons ended in the semifinals, 16 region titles and 18 seasons with at least 10 wins.
But that’s not really what most people are thinking about today in Dalton, and it’s not why his legacy will live on for decades to come.
Matt Land first got to know Bill Chappell as a ball boy. He later played for him, coached under him and had a successful stint as the Dalton head coach, a period in which Chappell often would give advice when asked and a willing ear if needed.
Turns out, my initial fear of Chappell was not rare.
“I can tell you, as players we were scared of him, but not because of any intimidation factor,” said Land, who was the 2019 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year and is currently a part of Calhoun’s staff. “You were scared of him because of how serious he was in football and about life, and at that time we didn’t understand it.
“Back when I played, we would complain that he hated us and that we couldn’t stand him, but every time we gathered for reunions all those years later you would hear things like, ‘I would take a bullet for that man.’
“As players he would tell us our best would get us beat, that we had to be prepared to do whatever it takes within the rules to succeed. We thought he was talking about football, but we realized, as adults, he was talking about life.”
Here is how Dalton High School principal Lee Collins honored Chappell in a statement released Monday:
“Coach Chappell was more than a legend on the field; he was a force in our lives and a pillar in our school. For over three decades, he taught our students what it means to strive for greatness, not only in sport but in character. Coach Chappell’s passion for football was matched only by his dedication to the young men he coached. He believed in them fiercely and stood as an unwavering role model.
“For many, he was the person who believed in their potential when no one else did, helping them see the importance of hard work, accountability, and determination.”
I read that statement several times and, while I know it was meant for the thousands of young people he affected, or the many former players like Land, North Murray coach Preston Poag and current Dalton coach Kit Carpenter that have taken the values learned under him to new generations, it just as well could have been written with folks like me in mind – people who, at some point in their lives, just need some affirmation that they belong.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com