Patrick Hite|The News Leader
STAUNTON -It was September 1970. Chase Hughes was a junior offensive guard for the Waynesboro Little Giants.In a game against Robert E. Lee that season, Hughes got in his stance and looked across the line.
That's when he first saw Doug Carter.
"I saw these eyes looking at me," Hughes said. "I thought, 'Holy ...' "
Little did Hughes know at the time that, within 12 years, the two would be coaching together on the Lee High varsity football team — Carter was the head coach and Hughes was his assistant.
They also both coached track, reversing theirroles with Hughes as the head coach. And they became great friends.
"He was just a lot of fun," Hughes said. "He had a great laugh. He could tell some pretty good jokes. Whenever we got together we had a pretty great time."
Carter died Friday, October 11, at Shenandoah Hospice House. The former Lee High teacher and coach was 67.
"My fondest memories of Doug Carter are first his infectious smile and ability to laugh and make others laugh," said Warner Howard.
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Howardlast saw Carter a year ago at ablock party on Baptist Street. Howard remembers seeing Carter walking up and down the street, talking to everyone he saw.
"He loved his old neighborhood and never lost sight of those he grew up with once he achieved acclaim as a college football player and high school coach," Howard said.
A member of his high school's hall of fame, Carter attended Augusta Military Academy (AMA) after Lee High before playing football at North Carolina State. In a December 1973 News Leader article Carter's college football career was described as a "rags to riches" story.
The story was written prior to that season's Liberty Bowl when N.C. State was playing Kansas. Carter was the starting nose guard for the Wolfpack.
Ferrum coach Jerry Kirk had noticed Carter as a Lee High sophom*ore. Kirk was impressed with everything but his height, according to the story. Carter was 5-foot-10.
Carter wasn't interestedin going to Ferrum so he chose a year at AMA. By that time Kirk hadmoved to N.C. State where he was an assistant on Lou Holtz's staff. Holtz took a look at Carter, on the advice ofKirk, and decided to sign him.
Carter graduated from State with a degree in history. He returned to Staunton to teach and coach at his high school alma mater.
As a freshman, Jarrett Hatcher had Carter as aworldhistory teacher.
"He was very funny," Hatcher said. "Very able to relate to kids. He was just enjoyable."
Years later, Hatcher returned to Lee High as a teacher and worked in the same social studies department as Carter.
"Some of the things Doug did in class, I stole some of those when I became a teacher," Hatcher said. "Just a good man. Compassionate. Cared about the kids."
One of the most amusing stories Hatcher remembers about Carter was the time he was taking tickets at the door for a Lee High basketball game. Kevin Madden was the school's basketball star at the time and, on one occasion, North Carolina head coaching legend Dean Smith came to Staunton to see Madden play.
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Hatcher, who was in seventh grade at the time, went into the lobby and asked Carter if Smith had arrived.
"Doug said, 'I'm not letting him in. I'm not letting any Tar Heels in this gym tonight.'"
Eventually Smith arrived and gotinto the gym to watch the game. Hatcher went back out to the lobby and Carter told him he let Smith in, but charged him. Hatcher is pretty sure Carter was joking. Then again, there was no love lost between N.C. State and North Carolina.
"He was a loyal Wolfpack," Hatcher said.
Carter coached the Leemen football team for five seasons, but that was far from the only thing he did to give back to his community.
According to his obituary, Carter was involved with the African American Heritage Festival as a board member, he helped with the Festival of the Holiday Lights, was a curator at the Augusta Military Academy Museum and officiated football and basketball.
Hughes got to see Carter about a week and a half ago.
"We were able to talk to him and he was able to listen to us," Hughes said. "I was telling him a few stories and that sort of thing."
Hughes also visited the day before Carter passed away.
"He's a really great guy," Hughes said. "There's not a whole lot more you can say except that."
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