Believe in yourself

BILLY THOMPSON

In the spring of 1978, Coach Ricky Locklear drove me to Elon College (now Elon University) to try out for the Football team. Despite the number of individuals who told me I was too small and not fast enough to play at the college level. Others thought I should have accepted a track scholarship from Pembroke State College (Pembroke State University) because of my jumping abilities and level of speed for running the 880 meter race. My desire was to play football.

Coach Ricky, Mr. Harvey Lowery, and Mr. Bob each would share stories to encourage me to not settle for track but to remember what I had accomplished and the efforts put in to being player of the week, going over 1,000 yards for the year and being named All Conference and Athlete of the year. I remembered when I sometimes didn’t have a ride home from practice or a game and I had to walk six miles in the heat or cold weather, to get home. If it was raining, my friend Charles McCallum would give me a ride home. So, with all that being said, I decided I wanted to play football.

After going through the try out process, Coach Jerry Tolley, told me that he couldn’t offer me a scholarship but since I had already been accepted at Elon, I could be a walk-on when school started. When I questioned him he said, “Well son, people down your way don’t play football; they play baseball, basketball, and run track.” I responded, “But Coach Ricky was an All American here at Elon.” Coach Tolley then responded, “Yes, but you’re not him.” My hope of getting a scholarship was over and done within 10 minutes.

I came back home and told my mother and grandmother what happened. They both told me that everything would work out. Then I reminded them that without the scholarship, I had to come up with $750 to finish paying for college, plus any other fees that may come up. We were poor sharecroppers who didn’t have this type of money laying around. My mom told me to call one of my uncles who without a doubt could give it to me or at least loan it to me. I called my uncle. To make a long story short, he said no. I knew I couldn’t make that kind of money working on the tobacco farm so I landed a job at South of The Border, a local tourist attraction. On the days I wasn’t working at the Border, I worked in the tobacco field.

One day I came home from working in the tobacco field and my grandmother told me that my coach called and wanted me to give him a call back. I dialed the number, wondering what he could want since it was the second week of August and I wasn’t to report to college until the last week of August. The phone rang and he answered with, “Hello Coach Tolley speaking.” I replied, “Hello Coach. This is Billy Thompson. My grandmother gave me this number to call you.” “Yes son, where in the sand hills are you? You were supposed to be here last week and you need to get up here today.” I replied, “But Coach, you told me not to come to summer practice, just to wait until it was time for me to report to school like other students.” Coach Tolley exclaimed, “Son I don’t know what caused you to think that but you need to get here ASAP!”

That created another problem. I had managed to save most of the money I needed to finish paying for my tuition and my mama was able to give me the rest. I had the money, but no way to get to Elon. It was three o’clock on a Monday afternoon and we didn’t even own a car. I started calling family members to see if someone could drive me and couldn’t find a soul who was willing to drive me there. Then I called my last uncle’s house and my cousin’s boyfriend just happened to be there. He was a recent graduate of NC A & T State University and told me he knew where Elon was and would even drive me there if I had gas money.

We went to the dorm Coach Tolley said for me to go to. I went to the door and knocked for what seemed like forever. Finally, this grumpy guy who must have been asleep like everyone else, opened the door and said, “Follow me.” I followed him up to the second floor where he showed me my room. He gave me the key and walked back down the steps grumbling. I went into the room, locked the door, fell on the bed and was out like a light. No sooner than I had gone to sleep, I was awakened by a bullhorn and someone banging trash can lids together. Someone knocked on my door, I opened the door and the same grumpy man who let me in was standing in front of me. He said “Put some shorts and a t-shirt on and get downstairs.” As I was leaving my room a young man about my age came and said, “Follow me, Thompson. We need to get all your equipment before you go out there with the rest of the team.” Later, I found out he was the assistant equipment manager and was also from Robeson County. He gave me my uniform and all the equipment.

I earned a scholarship my second year and gained a starting position as a defensive back. We won two NAIA National Championship 1980 and 1981. Look at all I accomplished despite being told I couldn’t. There were several obstacles in my way, but I didn’t lose faith that I could make my desire come true. I was encouraged by a few to go for it. I believed I could do it and I did!

I have never lost sight of this truth in all of my years. I wanted to be in education. I started out as a substitute teacher and retired as a principal. Same thing with being published. I have always wanted to be published and now I have my first magazine article. Believe in yourself and all will be well.

Billy Thompson is a human being who believes in supporting, loving and caring for others. He is a graduate of Elon College and believer in life-long learning. Connect with Billy on Facebook.