Don Lowe established a legacy

of excellence as a high school football coach for 27 years at Giles and Narrows

high schools. Yet, when asked to comment on the passing Monday night of Graham

football coach Glynn Carlock, Sr., he didn't think he was worthy enough to

answer.

"It's about tradition," Lowe said. "You can't lose your tradition

and we just lost a great tradition."

Few schools had more tradition than Graham. Under Carlock, the G-Men won 244

games and two state championships during a 31-year career that included just

four losing records and numerous district and regional titles. Yet, his legacy

will be much more than just a football game.

"It would be hard to describe what he has meant to this school and this

community," said Graham principal John O'Neal, who played and coached under

Carlock. "The thing about coach Carlock is he was a very humble person.

"He didn't want the

recognition or the accolades that he deserved. He wanted everything to benefit

his students and the athletes at the school. Everything he did was for the

students and for the athletes and if that meant staying late or coming in early,

whatever they needed, that was what he was going to do."

Consistency was the hallmark of Carlock's success. Rarely did Graham have what

could be considered a poor season. Coaches like Kelly Lowe, the third-year head

coach at Narrows, is hoping to establish the same type of program with the Green

Wave.

"He's always been one the long-standing coaches around here that everybody

looks up to and they want their program to be like the one he has up

there," Lowe said. "It's a sad situation, you hate to hear anything

like that, but any coach that has had the success he has had, you want your

program to somehow become that and he's the one we've looked up to here as well.

"Even back when we used to play them, they always had a great team and he's

one heck of a coach. The whole state of Virginia has lost one heck of a coach

and, more importantly, just a great person."

Carlock is known for his football prowess, but he did so much more. Even

students like Michael Alvis, who recently graduated from Graham and never played

a down for Carlock, noticed his presence.

"He's done a lot, not just in football, but for all the kids that went to

school here in every other sport," Alvis said. "He's helped them in

everything. He's been a good role model for everybody."

And, that won't change. For a man known for wearing a straw hat on the

sidelines, the sign on the marquee outside the school on Tuesday said it all for

many: "Thanks Coach." Morgan Campbell can relate.

"About 15 years ago he was instrumental in getting me a position here as a

baseball coach and teacher and I have personally been fortunate to work under

him in football," said Campbell, Graham's baseball coach and football

assistant. "He's meant a lot to everybody.

"He's irreplaceable and it's going to be a struggle this year. We just

going have to feel like him and do what he would want us to do. He's going to

want us to be strong and he would probably get mad at us if we didn't."

Carlock had been expected to be the coach for his 32nd season before being

diagnosed with Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease, a rare brain disorder. According to

friends, he fought to the end, displaying the kind of attitude that followed him

throughout his life.

"I think the one thing I remember about Glynn Carlock is he's old

school," Don Lowe said. "He is what he is, and he's been that way all

his life. He treats everybody the same and he's going to do it the right way.

"Those kind of classy people with his kind of influence on young people is

what we're really going to be missing because he was so good with young people.

He didn't care about the new stuff, there was a right way to do things and he

didn't care about all the fancy stuff. It's a work ethic and there's a respect

for the game and life. Glynn lived it and coached it."

Services for Carlock will be Thursday at Bluefield Auditorium. While that will

be a sad day for all, O'Neal vows that the legacy Carlock left behind will

continue in the future. Carlock wouldn't have it any other way.

"If we didn't pick up and move on, he would be chewing on me right

now," O'Neal said. "It's going to be a difficult year and there are

going to be some adjustments to make, but our thoughts and prayers go to his

wife and son..

"His attitude and his work ethic and his morals, it was a filtered-down

system that went to everybody in the building and it fit a culture in Graham

High School and it helped Graham High School become what it is."

 

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