Best Coach in SWVA History

[tornado99 345]

Who is the best? Why?

Championships are important, but how about overcoming adversity and building a program?

[goose111874 967]

Too many good ones to just pick one but I'll go with Tom Turner and no other reason than winning 6 titles with that small of a school and in many years could've won at what is now 2a

[Liam McPoyle 1,863]

2 minutes ago, goose111874 said:

Too many good ones to just pick one but I'll go with Tom Turner and no other reason than winning 6 titles with that small of a school and in many years could've won at what is now 2a

^^^^^^This is the correct answer.

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

I'm sure common names like Frye, Carlock, Ragsdale, Cummins, Turner, Robbins are there, but some to not be missed that many may forget are

Merle Gainer of the Bluefield Beavers, (my argument as Numero Uno, the Dean of HS football in the Appalachians, the Michaelangelo as far as I'm concerned and if you look at the coaching true that sprang from him and the success that the guys under him had not just locally, but in multiple states, he's my pick for number 1), but others like Chmara, Fred Simon, Joel Hicks of Pulaski, Lineburg of Radford were all solid, don't forget about Dave Ryder of Tazewell, Greg Mance of Richlands.

Most Unpopular historically, but the best On Field Tactical X's and O's guy to come out of the coverage area in my opinion.  Dennis Vaught.  He saw things on the field that 99.9 percent of his peers didn't see,  His in game and mid game adjustments were foolishly good.  But, things like smart decisions off the field, temper, leadership prevents him from being viewed in the elite and that's fair, but on the field wise, on a completely other level.  Just my opinions

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

6 minutes ago, Liam McPoyle said:

^^^^^^This is the correct answer.

As impressive as Powell Valley was with the titles and Bluefield High, WV, and Gate City just being good for seemingly forever, and Graham being historically good for a long time as well as Giles until recent, what Appalachia pulled off is still the most surprising of all of em in the coverage area in my opinion with those kind of numbers, low numbers, but stupid production on the field.  Anyone voting for Turner ain't wrong in my opinion. 

[tornado99 345]

7 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

I'm sure common names like Frye, Carlock, Ragsdale, Cummins, Turner, Robbins are there, but some to not be missed that many may forget are

Merle Gainer of the Bluefield Beavers, (my argument as Numero Uno, the Dean of HS football in the Appalachians, the Michaelangelo as far as I'm concerned and if you look at the coaching true that sprang from him and the success that the guys under him had not just locally, but in multiple states, he's my pick for number 1), but others like Chmara, Fred Simon, Joel Hicks of Pulaski, Lineburg of Radford were all solid, don't forget about Dave Ryder of Tazewell, Greg Mance of Richlands.

Most Unpopular historically, but the best On Field Tactical X's and O's guy to come out of the coverage area in my opinion.  Dennis Vaught.  He saw things on the field that 99.9 percent of his peers didn't see,  His in game and mid game adjustments were foolishly good.  But, things like smart decisions off the field, temper, leadership prevents him from being viewed in the elite and that's fair, but on the field wise, on a completely other level.  Just my opinions

I am very interested about some of the specifics about Gainer and even Turner as I’m familiar with their success. 
 

You are spot on with your assessment on Vaught. As far as building a program, teaching boys to be men, and how to win in life, I would choose Greg Mance. I’m taking Vaught for either one game or season for the reasons mentioned.

[Bluefield researcher 1,195]

Take any man that that lived thru active combat from WWII and I will show you a successful high school coach.

[Weatherman 135]

Ralph Cummins

[BigWinners 1,643]

17 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

As impressive as Powell Valley was with the titles and Bluefield High, WV, and Gate City just being good for seemingly forever, and Graham being historically good for a long time as well as Giles until recent, what Appalachia pulled off is still the most surprising of all of em in the coverage area in my opinion with those kind of numbers, low numbers, but stupid production on the field.  Anyone voting for Turner ain't wrong in my opinion. 

It’s a small school but let’s not downplay the amount of truly great talent Turner had at his disposal. People seem to ding Phil bc he was blessed with talent but Tom wasn’t exactly playing with a bunch of scrubs either lol. Huff, his son, Travis Clark, etc……he had some serious talent in those coal camps. 

[tornado99 345]

20 minutes ago, Weatherman said:

Ralph Cummins

What made Cummins special? I know they were a powerhouse in the 70s.

[CPF 409]

Merrill Gainer  87-6-1  4 state titles at Bluefield 

Tony Palmer    91-17   2 state titles ,one runner up, 4 region titles  

 

Gainer is the standard, but Palmer after year one is 85-11.  Gainer only had the championship game to win as it was only round of playoffs. And he didn't have to build a program it was ready made.  Different times but to me those are the standard. But there is no wrong answer.

[Duke2015 451]

11 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

It’s a small school but let’s not downplay the amount of truly great talent Turner had at his disposal. People seem to ding Phil bc he was blessed with talent but Tom wasn’t exactly playing with a bunch of scrubs either lol. Huff, his son, Travis Clark, etc……he had some serious talent in those coal camps. 

Yeah had to have the talent also but one thing that separates Tom and Phil imo is that those boys from Appy would run thru a wall for Tom 

[Vol Hater 276]

1 minute ago, Duke2015 said:

Yeah had to have the talent also but one thing that separates Tom and Phil imo is that those boys from Appy would run thru a wall for Tom 

Absolutely facts right here 

[Wolf1207 239]

10 minutes ago, tornado99 said:

What made Cummins special? I know they were a powerhouse in the 70s.

3 state championships makes you special. Maybe not the top of the list in the coverage area as I’d go with Tom Turner, but to say not special ridiculous. 

[BearsFan88 117]

51 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

I'm sure common names like Frye, Carlock, Ragsdale, Cummins, Turner, Robbins are there, but some to not be missed that many may forget are

Merle Gainer of the Bluefield Beavers, (my argument as Numero Uno, the Dean of HS football in the Appalachians, the Michaelangelo as far as I'm concerned and if you look at the coaching true that sprang from him and the success that the guys under him had not just locally, but in multiple states, he's my pick for number 1), but others like Chmara, Fred Simon, Joel Hicks of Pulaski, Lineburg of Radford were all solid, don't forget about Dave Ryder of Tazewell, Greg Mance of Richlands.

Most Unpopular historically, but the best On Field Tactical X's and O's guy to come out of the coverage area in my opinion.  Dennis Vaught.  He saw things on the field that 99.9 percent of his peers didn't see,  His in game and mid game adjustments were foolishly good.  But, things like smart decisions off the field, temper, leadership prevents him from being viewed in the elite and that's fair, but on the field wise, on a completely other level.  Just my opinions

Gainer also coached at Patrick Henry in Roanoke. The 1973 PH Patriots shut out 10 opponents. The only team to score more than 7 on them was William Fleming. 
 

They even beat Coach Herman Boone’s TC Williams. That was couple of seasons after the 1971 Titans season. 

[Unchained 587]

From a football standpoint and doing more with less, Tom Turner is a slam dunk. If we talk about life lessons, respect and sportsmanship it's Ralph Cummins to me,

[BigWinners 1,643]

1 hour ago, Duke2015 said:

Yeah had to have the talent also but one thing that separates Tom and Phil imo is that those boys from Appy would run thru a wall for Tom 

I think some of that is the personality difference. I’m def not comparing Phil to these guys but most people wouldn’t say Belichick or Nick Saban inspire guys to run thru a wall for them but they command respect and the players know the coaches will have them in the best position to win. Barry Jones had that kind of love at PV but he wasn’t nearly as successful as a HC. Phil def isn’t as well liked or as revered as Turner but Phil was a master motivator in his own way and you always knew he would do whatever it took to win, because his ego couldn’t tolerate losing lol. 

[BigWinners 1,643]

FTR I love Phil, still, and nothing I say is meant to insult him. I think he’s criminally underrated in these kinds of debates bc people simply didn’t like him. But seven state titles, 300 wins, scores of LPD and Region D titles, Phil has to be included on any SWVA Mt Rushmore, arguably a VA one. 

[Unchained 587]

13 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

FTR I love Phil, still, and nothing I say is meant to insult him. I think he’s criminally underrated in these kinds of debates bc people simply didn’t like him. But seven state titles, 300 wins, scores of LPD and Region D titles, Phil has to be included on any SWVA Mt Rushmore, arguably a VA one. 

Very much like Mack Shupe was at JJK. Folks hated the man, but his success was without comparison.

[Liam McPoyle 1,863]

 

2 hours ago, Bluefield researcher said:

Take any man that that lived thru active combat from WWII and I will show you a successful high school coach.

World War II veterans include:

-Ralph Cummins served in the US Army as a paratrooper in Europe.

-Merrill Gainer served with the U.S. Navy. 

-Ernie Hicks had been at Richlands HS for 19 years before enlisting in 1943.

[Duke2015 451]

39 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

I think some of that is the personality difference. I’m def not comparing Phil to these guys but most people wouldn’t say Belichick or Nick Saban inspire guys to run thru a wall for them but they command respect and the players know the coaches will have them in the best position to win. Barry Jones had that kind of love at PV but he wasn’t nearly as successful as a HC. Phil def isn’t as well liked or as revered as Turner but Phil was a master motivator in his own way and you always knew he would do whatever it took to win, because his ego couldn’t tolerate losing lol. 

I was mainly just messing with you lol!!!  I know Phil was a good coach too just happen to think Tom was a little better but I’m biased being from there 

[BigWinners 1,643]

1 minute ago, Duke2015 said:

I was mainly just messing with you lol!!!  I know Phil was a good coach too just happen to think Tom was a little better but I’m biased being from there 

And I have no qualms with that, I totally get backing your guy. With as many titles as both have, it’s splitting hairs to be honest. Tom was probably more fun but if you needed to raise money from boosters or something Phil’s your guy lol. 

[sixcat 2,919]

Steve Ragsdale - Giles

Joel Hicks - Pulaski

Norm Linburg- Radford

Tommy Thompson - Carroll County/Hillsville. His resume will pale in comparison to everyone else mentioned in this thread. But what he meant to his community cannot be undervalued. 

[tornado99 345]

42 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

FTR I love Phil, still, and nothing I say is meant to insult him. I think he’s criminally underrated in these kinds of debates bc people simply didn’t like him. But seven state titles, 300 wins, scores of LPD and Region D titles, Phil has to be included on any SWVA Mt Rushmore, arguably a VA one. 

I don’t know enough about him personally. Still the success is second to none. Fair or not, and through no fault of his own, many of us take points away due to the riches of talent at his disposal. It makes me question if his contemporaries would be as successful with 4 seasons of NFL talent on the roster. Not just that, the surrounding talent was impressive as well. Is Phil the reason for that? (I honestly don’t know. My outside perception was the talent and culture was already there.)

[Liam McPoyle 1,863]

-A Case for Ralph Cummins

-Won 72% of his games with a record of 267-90-14.

-In his first 23 seasons, there were no playoffs and no chance of playing for a state title. Undefeated and powerful teams in '57 and '62 perhaps could've won state.

-VHSL only crowned three teams (A, AA, AAA) from 1970-1985 making the feat more challenging. During that era, Cummins won three (3) titles and was runner-up to a much larger school in Madison Co. losing by 1 point. 

2 hours ago, tornado99 said:

What made Cummins special? I know they were a powerhouse in the 70s.