Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 2, 1994 TAG: 9409030002
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV16 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``I don't know. Maybe. I haven't made any decision. Nothing definite,'' said Stuart.
A lot of double talk? Possibly. Stuart is the new athletic director at William Fleming. It's not easy to be a head football coach and athletic director at a Group AAA school so this might be Stuart's farewell as football coach.
Stuart, 57, promised last year's seniors he wouldn't retire. He has made no similar pledges to any underclassmen this fall.
While Stuart won't confess to a reporter that this is his last year, he has told other people this will be his finale as a coach.
Stuart begins his ninth year as Fleming football coach. In that sense, he's not one of Timesland's longest-tenure -at-one-school coaches, such as David Crist at Blacksburg, Joel Hicks at Pulaski County, Bob Williams at Parry McCluer, Norm Lineburg at Radford and Jim Hickam at Northside, whose careers at their present positions date from the 1970s.
Stuart, though, has been in coaching since 1963. He was a softball coach, but not one such as James River's John Shotwell or Glenvar's Spike Harrison, whose girls' teams have been among the strongest in Group A state circles.
``I coached boys' softball, and we played 10 games. We were one of the few schools that played other teams,'' said Stuart, as he took time on a rainy afternoon to reflect on his career.
``I love coaching. I hate days like today when it's raining. I love to see kids develop, become good citizens. That's when you feel like you've accomplished something.''
Boys' softball is gone, but Stuart isn't. He has been a head football, basketball, track and baseball coach -- all in the same year - at both South Hill and old Lucy Addison in Roanoke.
So Stuart knows how to stay busy, and he might cope with running an entire program while serving as football coach. He follows Jim Easthom, who retired, as Fleming's athletic director.
``The major [Easthom taught ROTC at Fleming] taught a full load. I'm still teaching [not a full load] and coaching football. But after football, I won't have much to do, hopefully,'' said Stuart. He is one of the rare head coaches to be an athletic director at the same time in the Group AAA ranks.
``I'd like to make the decision at the end of the year. I don't want to say every year, this will be my last season, but this could be.''
Stuart laughs about his age. Consider that Shotwell took early retirement at 55 and continues to just coach softball and golf for James River while enjoying retirement benefits.
Stuart has few gray hairs and still has most of his hair left. He doesn't look his age and he's not self-conscious.
``You wouldn't see any gray hairs if I hadn't been sweating,'' said Stuart on a hot, muggy day. ``I don't feel 57.''
Stuart coached football and track for Fleming until giving up the spring sport several years ago. He coached Fleming to the RVD's only Group AAA state outdoor title, when the Colonels tied Bethel for the 1985 crown. Stuart said he expected to win the 1984 title, but ``you never win when you think you're going to do it.''
Without track, Stuart has been a vagabond during the spring, riding to some track meets to follow Colonel athletes and attending spring college football practices.
``It's been a mostly new experience, because I've always coached more than one sport. This is the first time I've been an athletic director. You're always looking for a new challenge,'' said Stuart.
Stuart hasn't taken Fleming to the state championship game, yet he has won a state football title at South Hill. He also won a state track crown there.
Stuart has made the Colonels competitive in Roanoke Valley District football, but the program has been overshadowed by the one at Pulaski County where the Cougars have been a perennial state power.
Does this mean Stuart has not been successful? Consider that the program was at an all-time low when he took over; Fleming wasn't that competitive in Group AAA.
``Everybody, in their own mind, would like to be 10-0 every year. If you don't have the people to go 10-0, you won't do it,'' said Stuart.
The veteran coach realizes the Roanoke City schools have shortcomings, but he doesn't think the weakness in junior high (middle school) sports is the biggest problem.
``Facilities,'' he explained. ``We don't look at sports programs like other areas. Other systems are small, but they have better facilities. Our practice facilities are OK, but a lot of places have facilities that are real nice and plush for kids.''
Stuart said coaches have to condition the bodies and minds of kids. ``I try to teach young folks there's always a tomorrow, that things will always get better.''
It's a reflection of his career. ``I've never had a program flourish. I've always had to build it,'' he said.
by CNB