There can be no denying the fact Cook Holliday is a legend when it comes to track in the state of Georgia.
In fact, the state titles he has won and the athletes he has helped shape into champions would make him legendary in any sport. Holliday’s recent induction into yet another Hall of Fame was certainly deserved. When you have accomplished what this coach has, no amount of recognition will truly put the spotlight on you enough.
I’ve known Coach Holliday for more than a decade. While we know each other in a coach-sports writer relationship, I also consider him a friend. When he was inducted into his most recent Hall of Fame he had to contact a rival newspaper to find out where I was these days. We had just started the Barrow Journal and I can only imagine the look on the person’s face when Holliday was informed of my whereabouts.
Perhaps just as funny was the way our coach-sports writer relationship began. Since we have both laughed about it through the years, I suppose it’s OK to relate it to the readers. I had just started work for a now defunct paper in Barrow County in the summer of 1998. With the fall sports schedule approaching, I interviewed Holliday about the upcoming cross country season at Winder-Barrow High School.
As any community sports reporter can tell you, fall is a hectic time of year with a new school session beginning and the sports teams making their return. With several stories set to run that particular week, the preview for the cross country teams did not receive high enough of a priority in the paper, at least in Holliday’s mind.
The coach stormed into my officer, newspaper in hand, and let it be known, with a stern voice, he was not going to tolerate his teams receiving such treatment. I let him have his say, but then told him that I would never tell him how to coach any of his teams and that likewise I would appreciate him not telling me how to put together my sports section.
Whether it was the fact I made a stand or not, an instant level of respect developed between the two of us. We never had any problems working together. I made countless trips to WBHS to talk with the veteran coach about both his cross country and track programs.
Later that spring I wrote a feature on Holliday which I still consider to be one of my best. We stood outside on a spring morning and I was able to get him to open up about his career, from past state championships to that season’s upcoming state meet in Jefferson. An area daily paper saw the article and asked for permission to use it, which I gladly gave.
While I moved on to another area paper later in the summer of 1998, Holliday and I continued to talk and I always looked forward to the annual track meet named in his honor at WBHS. He’s a man and coach we need more of today. His record speaks for itself, but what has always impressed me most goes beyond his coaching ability.
Holliday is a person who cares about our youth and wants them to succeed. That’s why he’s a Hall of Famer in my book.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. E-mail comments about this column to cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
