BY EARL VAUGHAN JR. | CityView Sports Columnist
I’ve sometimes been a critic of the Cumberland County Schools over the years, but when they get something right I’m one of their primary supporters.
Wednesday night at the Gray’s Creek High School baseball field that’s exactly what they did.
A ceremony was held to officially name the baseball field in honor of longtime Bears baseball coach Jeff Nance.
And it was a star-studded evening for sure.
Invited to attend were a host of local county athletic celebrities including all of the previous Gray’s Creek athletic directors: Doug Caudill, Troy Lindsey and Mark Pepper.
Also in attendance were Nance’s brothers, who comprise one of the truly outstanding athletic families in the history of Cumberland County: Ronnie Luck and Terry Luck.
Ronnie played baseball at UNC-Pembroke and was coach and athletic director at a number of local schools. Terry was a quarterback at Nebraska and rallied the Cornhuskers to victory in the 1974 Sugar Bowl over Florida.
Also present was Nance’s 87-year-old dad and former United States Marine, Thomas Nance.
Earl Horan, who used to coach at Gray’s Creek and is now at Wilmington Laney, came back to Fayetteville Wednesday for the ceremony. Horan is the father of Earl “Early Bird” Horan, a special needs student who attended Gray’s Creek.
Horan once asked Early Bird, who wrestled for dad, who his favorite coach was.
Early Bird immediately replied, “Coach Nance.’’
Horan recently wrote on Facebook, “I can’t blame him. He’s my favorite coach too.’’
A lot of people would definitely agree.
Congratulations Coach Nance on a well-deserved honor.
