Charles Baldwin, Football, UNC:
The man greeting you at the door every morning was the first African American to play at UNC on a scholarship from the Chapel Hill area. Charles Baldwin, who is the PBIS reset instructor, played defensive back for the Tar Heels from 1985-1988.
During high school at Chapel Hill High, Baldwin played running back and defensive back. Although he was primarily a defensive back, he had an offer from Duke to play running back. As defensive back, he had additional offers from Wake Forest and Stanford.
“[The competition was] pretty challenging when you think everybody was the top athlete coming out of high school,” Baldwin said.
Although there were physical challenges, Baldwin also faced mental challenges as well. Baldwin had thoughts of not “belonging” on the team and not being as good as everyone else. When asked how he got over it he said, “I had to tell myself I did belong here. I earned a scholarship and I’m going to compete. I’m just as good as the others.”
Despite the hardships, Baldwin played in his first bowl game as a freshman, the Aloha Bowl, creating one of his most memorable moments of his career.
His favorite part of that experience was flying to the island a few weeks early and exploring the island and experiencing Hawaiian culture.
“I met Jim Brown, a famous running back for the Cleveland Browns on the beach. I also saw Greg Valentine, a wrestler on the beach as well. Just being on the island doing things was very exciting for me, as I had never done any of it.”
Hans Hiemstra, Soccer and Track, Hope College:
Social studies teacher Hans Hiemstra played soccer and ran the 400-meter dash for Hope College in western Michigan. He played college soccer from 1985-1988, and he ran college track from 1987-1989 . He was captain of both teams in his senior year.
“It was definitely more competitive than high school,” Hiemstra said.
Hiemstra said it was very humbling when he ran the 400-meters against D-I athletes.
“I was like, ‘Hey, this isn’t so bad,’ and then they just kind of pulled away from me… And for soccer the same thing,” Hiemstra said.
Hiemstra once played against Indiana, a D-I school that went on to win the national championship. His team lost 7-0, as Hiemstra went up against their center forward who scored three goals on him.
“I wanted to be mad at him at the end of it, but he was such a nice guy,” Hiemstra said.
Even with the competitiveness of college sports, he still really enjoyed his experience. Hiemstra loved traveling around and meeting new people.
“We were in Michigan and we’d go to Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota,” he said.
His main job as a freshman was to get the ball to his “really good” center forward.
“Whenever I didn’t do that job, the coach would pull me out, and say you have one job,” Hiemstra said.
Kennard Winchester, Basketball, James Madison University, Averett University, NBA:
“Just keep him in front of you” was Kennard Winchester’s task, East’s Basketball Head Coach, when his number was called into the game. Except it wasn’t that simple, he was guarding Michel Jordan.
“Michael gets the ball in the wing, and drives baseline like a blur,” Winchester said before he heard the horn, which means someone is getting substituted.
Winchester then “didn’t even look at the bench and just walked to the end of the bench” before he could sit down his coach called, “Winchester, come here… what are you doing?!”
He had thought he was coming out of the game, but the horn was for someone else. His coach did remind him of his one job, but Winchester replied, “You could’ve told me how fast he was” before reentering the game.
During his youth, basketball talents were never an issue for Winchester: “From high school to college, it was the academics that were a challenge,” he said.
During this hardship, he had people who helped him as he continued his basketball career. These people made him reflect back on his career coming out of the NBA, which helped him on his journey of finding his true purpose outside of basketball.
“My purpose is to give back the same way they gave me,” Winchester said.
Jesse Casey, Football, William & Mary:
A former defensive back for William & Mary, principal Jesse Casey went from not playing football his freshmen through junior year of high school, to playing alongside three NFL coaches and winning a conference championship in college (1994-1998).
Because he focused on track and basketball until his senior year, Casey didn’t have any offers coming out of high school.
Senior year, William & Mary was already looking at a recruit from Hayfield High School when Casey caught their eye. That’s when he ultimately decided to commit.
Once arriving at college, Casey began his college career playing with senior Mike Tomlin, current head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, sophomore Sean McDermott, current head coach of the Buffalo Bills, and Dan Quinn, current head coach of the Washington Commanders, who was a graduate assistant coach at the time Casey played.
Playing with these NFL coaches, Casey’s team was a semifinal win away from playing NFL wide receiver “Randy Moss and his Marshal team.”
Despite not winning a national championship, Casey does have a Yankee Conference Championship ring.
Casey also acquired a “family” with his teammates, creating this bond on and off the field.
“We would always go to a movie as a team, and stay in the same hotel,” he said.
This family still stays connected to this day, with one of Casey’s teammates even being his children’s godfather.