Ring of Gold - Class of 2008

Roy E. "Buddy" Baldwin: (1962-1987) Coached basketball, football, baseball, and golf during his 25 year career at Roberson High School. Coach Baldwin’s basketball teams won numerous conference, district, and sectional titles over this period of time. His teams won 325 games in his career. Coach Baldwin earned WNC Coach of the Year honors in 1974 & 1977. He was selected as coach in the Blue/White All Star game three times. He was chosen to coach the East-West All Star game in 1984. Coach Baldwin retired in 1992 but has continued to work part-time at Roberson as a driver education instructor to this day.

Ronald Fair: (1981-1985) Played football, basketball, baseball and track – lettering in all four sports. Ron held school records for most receptions in a game and season as well as most touchdowns in a season. He was all-conference in football and basketball as well as earning his team’s MVP award in both football and basketball. He was selected as the WNC football Player of the Year in 1984. Ron was chosen to represent North Carolina in the Shrine Bowl game and also was chosen to play in the East-West All Star game. He earned All-State honors in football and basketball and was nominated for the McDonald’s All-American basketball team. In baseball, Ron was the starting left fielder on the 1983 state championship team. After graduating from Roberson, Ron attended Pratt Community College on a full football scholarship. After graduating from Pratt, Ron earned a football scholarship to Arizona State University where he played for three years. While at ASU, Ron held the PAC 10 record for catches in a single game. Following his years at ASU, Ron was signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he played for three years until a knee injury forced his retirement from professional football. Ron currently is the Residential Coordinator for the youth division of ResCare in Mayfield, Kentucky.

Robin Corn Graham: (1983-1987) Played volleyball, basketball, softball and track at Roberson, becoming the first female athlete at Roberson to earn varsity letters in four sports in a single year. Was All-Conference in all four sports. Was All-WNC in volleyball, basketball and softball. Robin helped her track team finish at state runner-up her senior year. She held numerous school records in basketball and was selected as her teams’ MVP in volleyball, basketball and softball. She was selected as the WNC Female Athlete of the Year in 1987 as well as chosen for the WNC Sportsmanship Award in 1987. Robin attended Florida State University on a full four-year athletic scholarship for basketball where she earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Robin was chosen as the NCAA woman of the year at FSU. She was selected as captain of her basketball teams for three years. She currently owns and operates JK’s kitchen as well as works part-time at IWANNA.

Francine Hill: (1983-1987) & (1999-2004) Ran cross country and track for all four years at Roberson. Was state individual runner-up her junior year and state individual champion in her senior year in cross country leading her team to the first ever state 3-A championship. She was all-state in cross country for her last three years at Roberson. In track, as a junior, Francine was the state champion in the 1600 m setting a state record that she still holds today. As a senior, she won three state championships in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m events. Francine helped her track teams to three consecutive years as state runner-up. All together, Francine won five individual state championships in cross country and track. She was awarded a full cross country and track scholarship to NCSU where she was on the ACC honor roll. She was a 2-time All-ACC cross country runner at NCSU and her team won four ACC cross country championships. Her cross Country team finished as NCAA runner-up in her freshman year. Francine earned All-American honors in track her senior year, finishing 8th in the nation in the 5000m run. Since graduating from NCSU with degrees in psychology and business, Francine has worked in the patient accounting department at Missions Hospitals here in Asheville where she is a department manager. Francine began her coaching career here at Roberson coaching the women’s cross country team and assisting the women’s track team. Her teams won four state championships in cross country and one state title in track.

Darren Holmes: (1980-1984) Played baseball for four years, football for two years and wrestled for one year at Roberson. His most outstanding season in baseball was 1983 when his overall record was 14-1 as he threw 3 no-hitters and 9 shut-outs leading his team to conference and state championships. Darren was selected as the WNC “Male Athlete of the Year” in 1983. He was chosen to the all-conference team for his last three years in baseball. After graduating from Roberson in 1984, Darren was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. From there he played for eight different major league teams: Dodgers, Brewers, Rockies, Yankees, Diamond Backs, Orioles, Cardinals, and the Braves where he finished his 13 year major league career. During the off-seasons from 1985-2003, Darren has served as an assistant coach for the Roberson baseball teams. He currently owns and operates Acceleration Sports Institute where he offers specialized training to athletes.

Norris Jones: (1962-1982) Served as head football coach and r while at Roberson. Following graduation from Western Carolina in 1951, Coach Jones began his coaching career at Swain County High School from 1951-1962 where he coached football, basketball and baseball. Coach’s teams won 392 games. Coach Jones helped to create the athletic program and teams at the “new” TC Roberson High School. Coach Jones has been inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame, the WNC Hall of Fame and the Swain County High School Hall of Fame.

Charles T. "Tommy" Koontz: (1968-1982 & 1991) Was assistant principal for one year and served as principal of Roberson from 1969-1982 and interim principal in 1991. Mr. Koontz was responsible for many of the athletic facilities at Roberson as well as the establishment of athletic teams at Roberson. He was chosen Principal of the Year in Buncombe County in 1981. Mr. Koontz retired from public education after 30+ years of service. He currently spends many hours volunteering at his church and at other civic activities. He is an avid Ram fan and can be seen at most TCR athletic events.

Roy Williams: (1964-1968) Played basketball and baseball for four years at Roberson. Held the school scoring record for most points scored in a basketball game for 17 years. Was All-WNC and captain of the Blue/White game his senior year. Attended UNC where he played on the freshman basketball team. Coach Williams began his coaching career at Owen High School in Asheville, NC. He became an assistant coach to Dean Smith at UNC in 1978. He became the head basketball coach at Kansas from 1988-2003 when he became the head coach at UNC-CH where he is today. He has been named the Conference Coach of the Year eight times and National Coach of the Year six times. His teams have won just over 80% of their games which ranks Coach Williams 4th in all-time winning percentage. His 2004-2005 team won the NCAA national championship. In the fall of 2007, Coach Willliams was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.