Memories from a female sports "junkie"

My love of football started when I was in middle school. Daddy was the “play-by play” announcer for the Ayden High School Tornadoes. My brother, who was skinny, played tight end. More often than not, he warmed the bench.

I was a cheerleader in high school. In those days, our pleated skirts touched the tops of our bobby socks. I learned the “push them back,” “hold that line,” “hey, hey, hey, hey, let’s go,” cheers and actually started learning the game. The football players were friends. Some of the cheerleaders were. A couple weren’t.

Stuart Tripp, legendary coach of the Ayden Tornadoes, coached several state Single A championships in football and basketball. When he retired, Tommy Lewis became head coach and continued the winning tradition.

Pep rallies and rented buses for out-of-town games were regular fare. We rode, like the Hoosiers, to far away places like Farmville, Greene Central, Pactolus, and Grifton. Ikey Baldree was coach in Grifton. He was an Ayden boy who grew up to coach.

At East Carolina College the stands were full, even on the grass. The crowd was loud. Clarence Stasavich was head coach. “Stas” introduced the single wing offense, which had been his tradition at Lenoir Rhyne. Very few schools knew how to defend against it, including Wake Forest, who lost in the inaugural game in 1963 at Ficklen Stadium, 20-10.   

Tailgating had not caught on. Some of us ate pre-game or post-game meals at the Bohemian restaurant. Their veal parmigiana was sublime.

On game days, the guys would bring their dates huge yellow chrysanthemum corsages with a purple ribbon, East Carolina’s colors. Sometimes, after the game, there would be a dance in the student union under Wright Auditorium.

For a short while in college, I lived in the Kappa Delta house with my “sisters.” I did not have a closet at the sorority house so I hung clothes at the end of my bunk bed.

Tom would round the corner of Fifth Street in his tan Volkswagen. I thought it was a magical time. We would often dine – using the term loosely – at Sumrell’s Tastee-Freez, on 10^th Street. A hamburger steak, fries, salad and drink were $1.50. I remember thinking that if Tom would feed me, I would marry him.

In October of 1964, I represented the Home Economics Department in the ECC Homecoming Parade. I rode on the back of my brother’s brand new 1964 cherry red Mustang convertible.

An early prelude to the Super Bowl, the NFL championship game, was played shortly after our honeymoon in 1966. Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers defeated the Cleveland Browns.

There were years, when our children were in high school, that we played Fantasy Football as a family. I would buy the ESPN football guidebook for the season. There was always a list of up-and-coming players to watch as the season progressed. That’s how I drafted Ron Gronkowski. Ron and Joe Flacco were key on my teams for years.

In my experience, few women like football. I’m often the only woman present when sports are discussed.

This year, in January 2026, the Kansas City Chiefs will not be playing in the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes hobbled to the blue tent for first aid and has some serious healing to do. Neither of the Kelce brothers will be playing. That means Taylor will not be in the club box. What are we to do?

Bad Bunny will bring the halftime show. It will be energetic and entertaining. There will be no costume malfunctions. He will reach a very broad audience of younger viewers. That’s a good thing.

It is often said that baseball is America’s sport. I take issue with that. Baseball is best enjoyed in the stadium or on the radio. It’s slow. Radio is a good medium for baseball because you can do something else while you’re listening.

I am trying to learn the rules of Hockey, since the Canes and the NBA have the longest seasons of anybody. I know what hooking and icing are. That’s a start.

The NBA reminds me of CIAA basketball. It’s run and gun, very little finesse.

When Dean Smith made the four corners offense popular, he could milk more out of the last five minutes of a basketball game than anybody

As the weather cools into winter, unless you are a news junky or a Hallmark regular, sports is it.

Watch till you learn enough to enjoy the game. Football is not brain surgery, it’s just two halves of fun.

Go Ravens. I have always cheered for you.

Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist and host of the blogsite www.avirtualchurch.com. She can be contacted at libcam05@gmail.com