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Western Carolina scrapbook, 1955-1956

items 21 of 52 items
  • wcu_memories-561.jp2
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  • By Bob Terrell Dan Robinson Named Head j Grid Coach Of Catamounts HONORS FOR the best-kept the month must go to 1 arolina College for iknown the news of :m's promotion from .ill coach to athletic i.1 the subsequent hir- 0 Robinson of Morgan- School as the new foot- In all the furore of Jim Ta- 14 to Carolina and the r coaching changes that grabbed headlines around the nation, it is surprising in- ■ ord ni' the change at Cullowhee didn't leak out some- However, the news printed in these pages this morfltaf takes even the student .('(' by surprise. Some i lents sensed over the weekend that something was bul nobody could ac- tu.illv nut a finger on it. ■en been speculated in a couple of downstate nepers Uwl I change at Cullowhee brewing, but try as these prognosticators ol the pen eould place their fingers on absolutely nothing. The secret was embodied in only those concerned and a very ! few other people on the inner J REGARDLESS OF how sur- j news may be, it will I be welcomed by the college's f football backers. For years it ' hat been evident that the combined duties of coaching and directing the athletic department i<= much more- than a full-time job. Credit must be given Tom Young for doing the job that he has under the existing conditions. Now, as stipulated in official statements from Cullowhee yesterday, the coaching iob is Dan Robinson's own, and no one rise's. Young, meanwhile, is free to put in full time directing the athletics. Young makes no bones about the fact he's been in football lor many long years. "For 36 of my 49 years I've been fiddlin' with football." he said, "either as a player or coach. Now I'm stepping out of active coaching and tuning the team, lock, stock and barrel, over to Dan. "I'm delighted with the thought of it." he added with a By BILL GLANCE Citizen Sports Writer CULLOWHEE, Jan. 10 - Dan Robinson, athletic director and head football coach at Morganton High School the past four years, today was named to succeed Tom Young as head football coach at Western Carolina College. Young, who recently completed his 28th year of coaching, has been Western Carolina's athletic direc- and head football coach since 1946. He is giving up his coaching duties in order that he might devote full time to his work as athletic director. Dr. Paul A. Reid, college president who announced the changes, said, "Since the institution has grown substantially in recent years, we needed to expand our athletic program." Three men will now handle the athletic chores. Young will direct the entire program. Robinson will ' 'a charge of football and Jim Gudger will remain as head bas- [ketball coach. ck 1c Young's first team at Western Carolina. He was selected to the All-North State and All-Southern teams in 1948. In 1949, when the Catamounts won their only North State Conference championship, Robineson was picked to the All- Conference and All-State teams] and received an honorable men- the Little All-America Dan returned to Western Caro- na in 1950 to coach tha freshman football team. Soon after football that year, he enrolled at Peabody College, where he received his masters degree. In 1951, Robinson coached at Greenwood, S. C. The next year he took over the Morganton team which had lost 16 straight games. His teams won 23 and lost 16 during the four-year stay at Morganton. Robinson was an assistant coach n the Optimist Bowl in 1952 and] ^as head coach of the East team n the 1953 Optimist Bowl. Robinson signed a one-year contract at an undisclosed salary. He will also teach physical education and will assume his new duties Feb. 1. The new Western Carolina coach said he does not plan to change the offensive system at this time. The Catamousts have operated from the split-T for the past two Robinson used the multiple offense at Morganton until last year when he changed to the split-T. **- ;s the son of Mrs. W. L. Rob- and the late Mr. Robinson of Marion. Young said, "I have thought for some time that we needed a younger man to take over as head football coach." Robinson is 29 years old. i man While Young is not z s football: He v concerned. outstanding back at the University of North Carolina during the seasons of 1925, '28 and '27. He started his coaching career at Chapel Hill High School the following year. Young later coached at Pembroke, Monroe and Lexington high schools before going hack to the University of North Carolina assistant to Jim Tatum in 19 Young was head coach at UNC 1943. He went to Cornell in 1944 where |he coached with Carl Snavely. In 1945, Young was coach at Sampson Naval Base with Jim Crowley. He jcame to Western Carolina the next Young said,' ' Wc have been thinking about this set-up for several years. As in most schools, the combination job of director of athletics and head football coach lias gotten to be too much of a job for one man. "I am glad we could expand our athletic program at Western Carolina and I feel we are fortunate in | being able to obtain Robinson as head football coach. I believe Robinson to be one of the best young tcotball coaches in the state." President Reid said, "Heretofore le athletic director has served head of one or more sports. We now need an athletic director who give his full time to this position. Coach Tom Young has provided such valuable service to the college that he is now being made athletic director. We are glad that Young will continue to provide leadership for our athletic program. "Since Young's lull time will be needed as athletic director, it is necessary to secure a head football coach. Coach James Gudger, basketball and baseball coach, was offered this position but he decided the responsibility of heading three sports would be too heavy. "Upon recommendation of the I athletic committee and approval of the Board of Trustees, the po-' sition was offered Coach Dan Rob-' inson. We believe Robinson will render excellent service as head fotball coach at this institution.", Dr. Reid said. ^P^^^^™1 _ - '1 "I'V m doThe2 job THUS, THE stepped out of the': young (29) successor stepped in. Robinson is the type of man whose personality belongs in the upper echelon of the coaching ranks. Five years ago he finished his last playin„' season with these sace Catamounts he now will coach. Yet he is still the same, trim Dan Robinson who once wreaked havoc with other North State Conlcrence teams as a tackle on Young's conference champions of 1949 and on three other WCC teams. He hasn't gained a pound since he finished college, nor has he lost one. On and off the field Dan Robinson is a quiet, personable fellow who commands respect. I was a student with him at Cullowhee and I have been associated with him since while he coached at Morganton High School and with the Optimist '"—'l here in Asheville in 1953. me of the better coaching prospects to come out of Western North Carolina since the war as his high school record proves. Now he has his chance to prove himself in the North State Conference. There is no doubt Dan Robinson is the man for the job. Few people will disagree that Western Carolina College made a wise choice. NEW COACH AT WCC—Dan Robinson (left), new head football coach af Western Carolina College, discusses his position with the school's athletic brass after Signing a one-year contract. Seated is Prof. C. F. Dotson, chairman of the athletic committee. Standing are (1-r) Robinson, athletic director Tom Young and Ralph Sutton, college business manager and a member of the athletic committee. Robinson succeeds Young as head football coach.
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).