Campbell, former Apex coach, wins top local honor

Scott Campbell, left, accepts award from Greg Pierce, representing the Raleigh Sports Club.
Scott Campbell, left, accepts award from Greg Pierce, representing the Raleigh Sports Club.
Scott Campbell, a teacher and coach at Apex High School for 25 years, has been honored as the winner of the Raleigh Sport Club’s 2014 Distinguished Service Award.

The club, celebrating its 50th anniversary, presented the award this week in honor of Casper Holroyd, a long-time loyal member of the club who passed away in December. The winner of the award is not only someone who has achieved success as a coach but someone who has done it with integrity and extra time and effort that is appreciated by players and administrators.

Campbell, who recently retired as a coach, in accepting the award said, “It’s been very difficult getting (coaching) out of my blood.” This award conjures up many memories that won’t make it any easier.

Campbell coached varsity girls basketball for each of his 25 years while he coached football for 13 years and baseball for eight years. A lot of those players stayed in contact with Campbell throughout the years to share news of family joys and sorrows.

In fact, while Campbell won 460 games as a basketball coach and was voted conference coach of the year six times, the highlight of his career doesn’t have anything to do with that. Campbell said his highlight “was to walk a former player down the isle at her wedding in place of her deceased father. That meant more to me than any game or any championship.”

His basketball teams did win seven conference championships and his teams made four regional playoff appearances with one state championship appearance. Campbell also was selected as head coach of one all-star game and as an assistant coach for the North Carolina vs. South Carolina Classic.

Campbell was known as a coach that held himself and his players to a high standard, displaying sportsmanship on and off the playing surface. He held his players accountable for their actions, teaching the valuable life-long lessons of responsibility and respecting opponents and officials.

The cycle has continued as several of his former players have become coaches themselves.

“The fact that those former players keep in touch with ‘Coach’ speaks to the fact that he didn’t just teach basketball X’s and O’s,” said Greg Pierce, incoming president of the Raleigh Sports Club. “He taught so much more about what it takes to be a good person and how to make a positive impact on the people you meet in your life.”

Included in the more than 240 people in attendance were Kim Campbell, his wife, Terry Campbell, his brother, and Del Phillips, the athletic director of Apex High School.

Campbell received an award, a certificate, a gift for the whole family and a check for $1,000.

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