THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609130310
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 73 lines
Ever wonder what some of the high school coaches of yesteryear are doing these days?
Charles ``Shotgun'' Brown and Ellie Fearing, who produced outstanding football, basketball and baseball teams at Churchland in the 1950s, are still area residents. Brown later had a state championship golf team at Manor and Fearing coached golf at Deep Creek.
Brown commutes to Florida for a good portion of the year. His home is in Suffolk.
Fearing, still a Churchland resident, officiated high school football for many years before completely retiring from the athletic scene. ``I remember when I first started wearing glasses and it rained one night. I couldn't see what was happening, and I decided then that it was time to quit officiating,'' said Fearing.
``I go to an occasional high school, college or pro game,'' he added. ``But you have such a good seat watching the games on television, it's a lot easier to stay at home.''
Joe Smith, who coached with Fearing, is now selling insurance in Churchland.
Jim Sherrill, a longtime coach and former athletic director at Wilson, still keeps his hand in high school basketball. He serves as chairman of the Eastern Region basketball playoffs and has a grass-cutting business.
Wes Swisher, who coached virtually every sport at Deep Creek and was the dean of Southeastern District baseball coaches when he retired, is battling failing eyesight. ``My recreation now is going out on the boat with my kids,'' he said.
Billy O'Brien, a former Wilson High School star who went on to become the all-time winningest football coach at Great Bridge, recently ventured back on the coaching scene briefly.
He accepted a position as head coach of the Hampton Roads Sharks this year but stepped down after an exhibition victory. The 67-year-old O'Brien cited fatigue.
Former Norcom basketball coach Bob Smith is active in the I.C. Norcom Athletes Hall of Fame and regularly attends football and basketball games at Norcom.
Charles Banks, 75 and another former Norcom coach, follows the Greyhounds' football team. Banks is getting ready to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary.
Ex-Churchland basketball coach Benn Griffith is now the director of the Portsmouth YMCA in Churchland. Ex-coaching rival Rabbit Howard, who coached basketball and golf at Western Branch after an earlier stint at Churchland, conducts basketball clinics and works part time at the Y. A regular attendant at the Y is former Wilson and Manor coach Howard Beale.
Another former Churchland basketball coach, Dick Esleeck, now lives in Suffolk and is a real estate appraiser.
Former Western Branch athletic director Bill Knowles is active in the Portsmouth Sports Club and the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.
Another ex-Churchland coach, Jack Mounie, retired as an assistant principal. Mounie has racing pigeons and works part time for a nursery. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Charles Banks, 75, a former Norcom coach, is getting ready to
celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary.
Benn Griffith, who coached basketball teams at Churchland High, is
the director of the Portsmouth YMCA in Churchland.
Jack Mounie, who once coached at Churchland High, is a retired
assistant principal.
Jim Sherrill, who was a longtime coach and former athletic director
at Wilson High, is still active in high school sports and owns a
business. by CNB