Sometimes Friday isn't about football | Free news

It was Friday, August 17, 2018. Just 24 hours earlier, my life and that of my family had changed forever.

The previous morning, I woke up to the most devastating news I had ever received: I learned that my father, William “Billy” Crowe, had died from complications of a heart attack. The next two days were packed with visits and condolences for the loss of a man I had spoken to just hours before his death, not knowing that it would be our last conversation.

To say that this was all overwhelming would be the understatement of the century. I knew everyone meant well and they showered my family with love because they genuinely cared about them, but it all happened a little too quickly. I needed a bit of time and space to process what had happened and I found that in an environment that my dad and I were both quite familiar with.

I had planned to cover a football game between Raleigh and Taylorsville that Friday. The morning of the game, I received a call from Mrs. Brenda Ingram of Raleigh, who expressed her deepest condolences and assured me that it would be fine if someone else stepped in and covered the game that evening. But I asked her to let me continue as planned. As I told my friends and family that day, I knew that under those lights I would feel closest to my father, whose passion for the game became a special bond between the two of us that lasted nearly 25 years.

On this occasion, the game itself and the result were of little importance, but the opportunity to be under that spotlight meant everything.

When I wrote this on Friday morning, I already knew that similar feelings would be present in Soso on Friday night. I knew that thousands would turn out for what was billed as a football game between the West Jones Mustangs and the South Jones Braves. But it was clear to the heavy hearts throughout the stadium that this was much more about honoring the life and legacy of former West Jones Principal Cooper Pope, who passed away on Thursday.

I didn't go to school in Jones County, so I can't claim to have known him nearly as well as many of you were lucky enough to know him – but I can tell you a story. Somehow, Mr. Pope managed to bring out something in me that – until this spring – I really didn't think I had in me.

I came to West Jones to present Mr. Pope and Head Coach Cory Reynolds with the Principal of the Year and Head Coach of the Year plaques. My only job was to present them with the plaques, take a picture of them in the gym with all the other student athletes, and then rush back to the office to do other tasks. But Mr. Pope had other plans.

As hundreds of students lined up for the photo, Mr. Pope casually walked up to me and said, “Okay, I'm going to introduce you to the kids and let you say a few words about why we're here before we take the photo.”

It was probably no big deal to him. He spoke to such large crowds every day. But the thought sent shivers down my spine. Little did he know that public speaking, especially to such large crowds, was actually one of my greatest fears.

I could have run after him seconds later to tell him that not only am I an introvert, but I'm great at it. But in that moment, I decided not to. Was I paralyzed with fear? Absolutely. But he never doubted for a second that I could do it, and that gave me the courage I needed to overcome the obstacle.

If Mr. Pope could do that for me – a simple photographer and writer he barely knew – then he undoubtedly did it for many of the students and staff who saw him every day. He was determined to help the youth of our area find the best in themselves and approach their futures with absolute confidence in their ability to succeed. That alone made Mr. Pope's life a reason to be celebrated under the lights at the baseball game on Friday night.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Pope family and all others who will mourn his passing for many days to come. It will not be an easy journey – or a short one – but I hope that Friday night's celebration of all that Mr. Pope meant to our community for so many years will bring comfort, much like I experienced one fall Friday night in Taylorsville in 2018.

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Brad Crowe is sports editor at Leader-Call. Email [email protected]