The phrase from a long time ago started with the Old Yankee Stadium 🏟 being called the House 🏠 that Ruth Built. Now, Babe Ruth didn’t actually ” build ” Yankee Stadium but I loved the reference so over the years, I added to it.
Welcome to Lucas Oil Stadium, the House that Peyton Manning built and Welcome to Safeco Field, the House that Ken Griffey Junior built.
Well, Joe Goddard, the man who I introduce at every home game that I announce for the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears 🐻, as the Legendary Joe Goddard actually built a Field for his High School.
Thanks to Chris Graham at the Augusta Free Press and in the link above, the local Newspaper 📰 in Beckley, West Virginia, this story was read across an entire region.
It has been nothing short of a privilege to soak in the thoughts of Joe Goddard over the past decade. Each Spring, Goddard and I serve as the little voices in the ear of Skipper Lawrence Nesselrodt as he leads our Golden Bears. Goddard helps with the X’s and O’s while I assist with the things that take place outside of the chalked lines.
When Joe first told me the story about turning down an opportunity to continue his professional Baseball career within the San Diego Padres organization, I hung on every word.
Returning to West Virginia to teach and Coach was the better fit. The problem was the School didn’t have a Baseball field at the time. Not to worry, Joe fired up his tractor and started to plow down some acreage. He had his little Girl with him at the time so Joe had to get creative while he built his field. Taking a rope, Joe tied a sled that was dragged behind him and Father 👨 and Daughter spent quality time together ❤.
That little Girl 👧, is all growed up now and has turned out just fine. She calls Joe, Dad and her patients call her Doctor !
Tonight up in Dublin, Virginia, Coach Edwards opens another season of Lady Cavalier Volleyball when her latest team faces Pulaski County High School.
Because Coach hesitates when asked the question about how many years she has held the job, we will say tonight begins year #117. But seriously, Edwards is at home whenever she has a whistle around her neck and she is teaching the game she loves 💘 to our youth.
2025 – 2026
Yesterday morning, I was faced with a lengthy drive 🚗 down to the Ashville, North Carolina area so there was plenty of time to ponder a Kickoff story to the upcoming season.
Cheyenne Strickland Marinus came to mind because of the story that the former Lady Cavalier had once served 25 straight winners 🏆in a College Volleyball match over at Ferrum.
Alyssa Ervin winning the Three Rivers District Player of the Year Award during her Senior season was bouncing around in my rapidly aging head.
The nights where Edwards was able to watch two former players square off against each other when Miss Bunn and Miss Stockner met. Eastern Mennonite University versus Ferrum had to be highlight real memories for Coach.
The night on The Hill where both Rose 🌹 and Coach Knight were in the Gym together. That night had decades full of memories for sure.
Next thing I know, I see an exit sign for a town that says Marion on it. I immediately think about how cool it must be to have a town in both Virginia and North Carolina named after you ? Marion Harris has it going on, doesn’t he?
Callie Harris is set to begin her final season with Coach and being that Edwards would be 103 before a Granddaughter of Mama Petty or Shelia Harris would play Varsity, this will end the incredibly long, long run 🏃♂️ of Petty and Harris Sisters playing Carroll County Volleyball 🏐. I quickly remembered back to the night in the School cafeteria when we captured the picture 📷 of the five of them.
But Callie isn’t the only Senior this year as Laiken Burnett, Brooke Webb and Corrie Delp are also finishing up their Volleyball careers this season.
Then God presented me with the answer 🙏 at Exit 65 on I-40.
The Archway onto the Campus of Montreat College.
There are a number of words you can use to describe the ladies listed above. Focused, Driven, Determined but the word I would choose for Miss Sarah Alderman is ” Blessed “. In my life, I’m not sure that I have ever met someone who has the disposition that the Freshman who just started attending classes at the little College tucked away just outside of Black Mountain. NC.
Alderman took a year off from playing Volleyball 🏐 for Edwards and switched to helping Coach for Edwards by helping with one of the younger teams. Now, its time to complete the circle 🔵 by returning to the Volleyball court as a player.
This Saturday afternoon the team she now belongs to will play its inner-squad match and the sign in the Carroll County High School Gym, the one that says – Once a Cavalier, Always a Cavalier, fits here as well because the Cavalier at the top of this story is the Montreat Cavalier.
During her Senior season, which I believe included five Senior Days, I remember sitting next to her Father at Galax High School during a Soccer ⚽️ game and the topic of where Sarah might go to College came up and Bridgewater came up but BC is a long way from home.
Montreat is a little ways from Home 🏡 as well but the campus looks to be a great fit for the nicest person I know.
The link above hopefully 🙏 will take you back to one of my favorite writes ✍ in my time here.
Volleyball 🏐 is in the Air here as the Middle School began their season last night, tonight the Junior Varsity and Varsity teams start theirs. Friday night, Duke University will play inside of Cameron Indoor and thanks to the next in a long line of Medical appointments, we will be there for that. Saturday will be the first day of the next chapter for Miss Alderman.
I eventually made my appointment in Ashville and trying to create a ” This is Your Life ” moment for Coach Edwards allowed the time to slide by !
Plymouth Rock, not sure if Coach was there, teaching the game to the Pilgrims but I know that there’s no place Edwards would rather be then on a Volleyball court !
Two Football teams, two Volleyball 🏐 teams, two Cross Country teams and the Golf ⛳ team will be in action 🎬 later today. We will happily share any results that make it this way.
Marion Harris is in the process of creating a Ryder Cup type of an event here in Carroll County. The participants have been chosen and the final details are being ironed out as I type.
Trenton Miller made the cut ✂️ and that led to a trip out to Olde Mill Golf ⛳ Resort for a quick lesson from our Head Pro, Bo Goins.
Miller stopped by our place long enough to swap a story or two, with the highlight being one about how well he can Sing. September 13th became the Hot 🔥 Topic after that.
Through the eyes of a Greater Fool 