Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem’s Curated Lifestyle & Design Magazine
A
EDITOR from the
Happy winter! I used to dread this season, but in recent years I’ve developed an appreciation for the chilled air and the longing it brings to slow down, retreat and restore.
This issue features the perfect home for a retreat, located in Greensboro’s Irving Park neighborhood. The new abode exudes a calming, restorative vibe with its bright rooms drenched in natural light and palette of soothing neutrals.
And if you want to create your own retreat at home, the team from Stephanie James Interiors has just what you need in their design column. Whether it’s a candle to set a soothing mood or a cozy ottoman for relaxing, they’ve got you covered.
I got the chance to chat with Frank McCain, son of civil rights pioneer and N.C. A&T Four member Franklin McCain, about his journey from a career in finance to leading the charge as president and CEO of United Way of Greater Greensboro. Frank shares how he and the organization are working to end poverty in our area and improve the lives of families in Guilford County.
I also caught up with High Point University (HPU) men’s soccer coach, Zach Haines. A Greensboro native, Zach returned to the Triad a few years back to lead the HPU soccer program to multiple championships and national acclaim. He explains how he helps his players find success on and off the field and gives us a preview of what’s next for this team on the rise.
In our North Carolina author feature, we get to know contemporary romance writer Mazey Eddings. Mazey, who lives in Asheville, has forged a successful career as a novelist while also maintaining her busy dental practice. Mazey tells us how she juggles the two and why she believes it’s so important to include neurodivergent characters in her books.
Finally, I have some bittersweet news to share. This will be my last issue as editor-in-chief of MOD Society. The last three years with this publication have been wonderful, and I am so grateful to Kathryn, Crystal and the rest of the team for making this job so much fun. I’m also thankful to our wonderful advertisers and most of all to you, our readers. I wish you all the best and hope you enjoy a happy, healthy 2025!
Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief
CONTE
CONTE NTS
A NOD TO TRADITION
A new-build home in Greensboro’s historic Irving Park pays homage to the neighborhood’s history while creating a haven for modern living. We take you on a tour with the builder. 12
SOPHISTICATED STYLE
The team at Stephanie James Interiors share their picks for adding an elegant flair to your home and your wardrobe this year.
A LEGACY OF CHANGE
Growing up the son of one of the A&T Four who staged the historic sit-in at the Greensboro Woolworth, Frank McCain was instilled with a sense of duty to service. As the CEO of United Way of Greater Greensboro, he’s harnessed that ethos to end poverty in Guilford County.
42 FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS
Writing gave North Carolina author Mazey Eddings an outlet for the stress she experienced during dental school. And now that work feeds her creativity as she moonlights as a bestselling contemporary romance author while also running a successful private dental practice.
50 THE ULTIMATE GOAL
High Point University men’s soccer head coach Zach Haines knows how to win. But the Greensboro native says scoring on the field comes second to the wins he finds off the field cultivating a team of accomplished student athletes.
A NOD TO TRADITION
“I want people to have something that’s classic and timeless with a high level of attention to detail and quality materials. I want people to wake up every morning and think, ‘I really love my space.’”
– Erica Worth
IIn a neighborhood such as Greensboro’s Irving Park, you don’t often find new homes. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Irving Park’s leafy avenues are dotted with stately manses built during the early decades of the 20th century, when the neighborhood and its golf course were established.
“The fact that Irving Park is built around a golf course is unique because in most other places, the course doesn’t wind its way throughout the entire neighborhood as it does here,” says Preston Young, Realtor, Tyler Redhead & McAlister. “And the homes were built in a very thoughtful way during that time.”
So when Irving Park neighbors and builders Erica Worth of Worth Builders and Kathy Cross of Southern Cross Homes learned of a property for sale in their neighborhood, they knew they had to act. The existing home wasn’t in good enough condition to be renovated, so Erica and Kathy made the decision to tear down and build anew.
“There’s not a lot of new construction in Irving Park,” Erica says. “We love our neighborhood, so we knew we had to build something that meets the needs of what people want in a home today while still maintaining the integrity of the neighborhood.”
Erica and Kathy wanted to create a more modern flow for the home while also adhering to some of the neighborhood’s more traditional aspects.
“It has a formal dining room, as so many of the older homes do,” Erica says. “But then it also has this great open kitchen/breakfast/living room space, so it’s a bit more open concept versus lots of small rooms.”
Throughout the home, the builders continued this marriage of tradition with modern convenience, with 10-foot ceilings and grand spaces a la Irving Park’s historic gems, outfitted with built-in AV hookups and wireless connectivity necessary for entertaining in today’s world.
The exterior of the home was designed to blend seamlessly into the existing neighborhood, with a monochromatic neutral color palette and classic lines.
“It’s very peaceful in that you don’t go from red brick to white trim to black shutters,” Erica says. “It’s all in the same color scheme, yet it has some depth.”
But unlike most other homes on the block, this abode boasts a two-car attached garage and a distinctive offcenter front entrance.
“I call it a friend’s side entry because everyone wants to come to your side door because it makes them feel more comfortable versus the formality of the front door,” Erica says. “But once they walk in, they’re still in the formal foyer, so you don’t feel like they’re walking right into your life at a side door.”
That foyer makes a statement with a herringbonepatterned hardwood floor in red oak with a traditional walnut stain that Erica says is prevalent in other Irving Park homes.
“We wanted to glam up that space a bit and make it feel special,” she says. “And then we used four-inchwide floorboards as opposed to the traditional thinner boards. It’s a bridge between the larger board sizes of today that doesn’t make it look so far from the style of an older home.”
As the eye travels up, Erica wanted to ensure the foyer’s lighting made just as much of a statement. She chose a chandelier in a classic shape with contemporary flair via a mix of natural materials, including bamboo and crystal.
“It’s unexpected yet elevated at the same time—not over the top,” she says.
Just off the foyer, the formal dining room exudes an air of classic elegance with traditional wainscoting on the walls, which are painted a serene and sophisticated blue from Sherwin-Williams’ collection of colors historically approved by the city of Charleston, South Carolina.
“We used a classic blue in the dining room that’s found in many historic homes,” Erica says. “And it’s also a historical Charleston color, as is the exterior paint color.”
Another statement chandelier hangs above the room’s expansive dining table, incorporating traditional crystal and brass details into a fixture that feels fresh yet timeless. During the day, the dining room needs little additional illumination as four-pane-tall windows bathe the space in natural light.
“The large center island that people gather around is such a current home design feature,” she says. “So to maintain the balance between new and old—and also because you’re so connected to the living space and it’s so open—I tried to create a bit of drama with the detail around the backsplash and range hood that drew you in and made you feel warm.”
“We used a classic blue in the dining room that’s found in many historic homes... And it's also a historical Charleston color, as is the exterior paint color.”
– Erika Worth
Erica says window placement was a key consideration in the home’s design, particularly on the main level.
“When you’re on the main level, whether it’s the foyer, dining room, family room or kitchen, you can see out the front and back of the home,” she says.
“That’s a really great feature, one, for the natural light, and then, two, you can feel connected to the front and back of your home at the same time.”
That perspective is perhaps best appreciated from the kitchen island, which serves as a hub of activity in the home. Aside from housing the sink and dishwasher, the island provides plenty of prep space on its generous counter, as well as room for four people to dine. Erica says to balance that very modern take on kitchen design with something a bit more traditional, they added rich wood cabinetry behind that also creates a sense of grandeur.
The main living space extends outdoors onto a spacious covered patio paved with a lighter version of bluestone, giving it a soft feel that works in harmony with the surrounding nature.
“It’s large enough for some gracious-sized outdoor seating furniture or creating an exterior dining space,” Erica says.
“It’s pretty much a zero-exit from the living space onto the covered porch, so there’s a great connection between the interior and exterior living spaces.”
The home boasts five bedrooms, with the primary and one guest room on the main floor. Erica says they designed the home that way to make it conducive to residents of any age.
“We put the primary on the main floor so that the homeowners could age in place,” she says. “And with a second bedroom on the main level, if you have an aging parent who needs to move in or a child in a nursery, you can be close by. It really makes the house appropriate for just about anyone who wants to live there.”
Along with the historically inspired color palette, the team also infused character throughout the home with details such as finishes and fixtures, as well as lighting that feels up-to-date but could easily stand the test of time.
“When you walk into some older homes and they have these beautiful old fixtures that are timeless and original to the home, that’s what I want to provide for people as a builder—something that feels current, yet timeless,” Erica says.
The team kept that in mind as they chose details such as door knobs and other hardware throughout the home that harken to a different era.
“Brass is a very traditional finish that you’ll find in a lot of older homes, and unlacquered brass is probably the most traditional, and it does patina over time,” Erica says. “I really wanted to provide hardware that looks like it’s been there for a while, and I found this beautiful finish called French Antique that has the classic styling we were looking for.”
For Erica and Kathy, this project felt like a chance to add their own stamp to the history of their beloved neighborhood. And Erica says their love of Irving Park and reverence for the beauty and historical significance of its homes guided every decision they made, alongside the idea of creating a space for the next generation of the neighborhood’s residents.
“I really try hard as a builder to maintain the beauty of the neighborhood in the area where I’m building,” she says. “I want people to have something that’s classic and timeless with a high level of attention to detail and quality materials. I want people to wake up every morning and think, ‘I really love my space.’”
– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief
Regarding the Home...
BUILDERS: Worth Builders, Southern Cross Homes
Cover: Dining room
Page 12-13: Kitchen
Page 15: Breakfast nook
Pages 16-17: Living room and kitchen
Page 19: Dining room
Page 20-21: Bedroom
Society Magazine Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem Vol. 6 No. 6
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jennifer Bringle Editor@yourMODsociety.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Whitney Brockman Marisa Faircloth, PA-C
COPY EDITOR
Jennifer Weaver-Spencer
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Brand and Bloom Photography
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Aura Lake Photography Micciche Photography
LAYOUT AND DESIGN
Crystal Staley
ADVERTISING
Advertising@yourMODsociety.com
Page 22: Bedroom (top), bathrooms (bottom)
Page 23; Bedroom
Page 24: (clockwise) foyer, outdoor porch Featured Home Photos
Drawing from the world’s richest palette of furnishings and accessories, Stephanie James Interiors brings to life your vision for your ideal spaces.
Here, we chose some of our favorite pieces that add style and sophistication to both your home and your wardrobe.
With a rounded gesso frame in a natural finish, Wildwood Home’s Gaudi mirror has a timeless aesthetic that adds style to any space.
and a classic
that works in both formal and casual settings.
Put your feet up on
The
a
Staying warm never looked so stylish! This asymmetric draped sweater from Jaki can be worn as a cozy cowl neck or off the shoulder for a more dramatic look.
The iconic Jules chair from Hickory Chair is as beautiful as it is comfortable, with downfilled upholstery
silhouette
the pretty Cubert ottoman from Ambella.
piece’s plush upholstery gets
pop of glamour via the brushed brass wedge feet.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge parfum boasts a rich aroma of amber, floral and woody notes, in a bottle beautiful enough to display on a dressing table.
A fluid, sculptural hourglass shape and satin gold top add artistic flair to the functional Noir pull-up table from Modern Elements.
Nothing says luxury like a rich velvet, and this one from Kravet’s Brunschwig & Fils line makes a statement with a bold, geometric pattern.
Visual Comfort’s Beton table lamp, designed by Kelly Wearstler, has a sophisticated-yet-organic feel with a reactive ceramic glaze that ensures no two lamps will be exactly alike.
This nightstand from Modern History pairs retro flair and modern styling with a painted antique gray finish and gold leaf accents that elevate any bedroom.
This one-of-a-kind handcrafted candle from Baobab Collection is hand-poured into a hand-blown glass vessel and features a fresh, citrus fragrance.
Unlock Confidence and Beauty
TUNE IN TO THE EMPOWERED BY BEAUTY PODCAST BY MARISA FAIRCLOTH OF RESTORATION MEDSPA.
At Restoration MedSpa, we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive, personalized approach to enhancing your natural beauty. With locations in Winston-Salem and Greensboro, we are committed to helping you achieve your aesthetic goals through expert care, innovative technology, and a focus on individualized solutions.
For 2025, I’m thrilled to announce several enhancements to our services that reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence. These include extended consultations, advanced skin analyses, flexible payment options, and the launch of our new Restoration MedSpa App, all designed to elevate your experience with us. While Botox and dermal fillers remain popular treatments, we go far beyond these offerings. Our extended consultations use state-of-the-art technology to thoroughly evaluate your skin, examining factors like pigmentation, sun damage, vascular health, acne and more. This detailed analysis enables us to create customized treatment plans that address multiple concerns at once, ensuring natural and lasting results.
Our team-based approach truly sets us apart. With more than 40 years of experience as a board-certified physician assistant, I’ve assembled an exceptional team, including a second physician assistant, a nurse practitioner, licensed aestheticians, a CoolSculpting specialist, a medical director and a tattoo artist specializing in permanent makeup. This collaborative team effort ensures every aspect of your care is seamlessly coordinated for superior outcomes.
To make your journey even more accessible, we offer flexible payment options, including our innovative Beauty Bank. This program allows you to deposit funds over time toward your treatments, making premium care achievable for every budget. Our new app further enhances your experience, enabling you to track purchases and earn loyalty points redeemable for services or gift cards.
Excellence is not just our goal—it’s our standard! By staying at the forefront of advancements in aesthetic medicine, we ensure you receive the best possible results. Whether you’re looking to rejuvenate your skin, enhance your features or maintain a youthful appearance, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Visit us in Winston-Salem at 250 Executive Park Boulevard, Suite 105, or in Greensboro at 2005 Yanceyville Street, Suite 110. Call or text us at 336-999-8295 or visit RestorationMedSpa.com to start your journey today.
FRANK MCCAIN, PRESIDENT
CHANGE OF LEGACY A
When Frank McCain was selected by United Way of Greater Greensboro as its president and CEO, he knew the issue that would be his focus as the organization’s leader: Poverty.
“A lot of people in our community aren’t aware that poverty is an issue for us,” he says. “But in Guilford County, we have around 88,000 people living in poverty, and 62,000 of those live inside Greensboro’s city limits.”
Frank says that the United Way measures those households by the federal poverty line, which is $15,000 or less per year for an individual or $31,200 for a family of four. And children, in particular, feel the far-reaching impacts of living in a home that falls below the poverty line.
“We know there’s a trickle-down effect to poverty that leads to stress, depression and family dysfunction,” he says. “For kids, that can lead to poor school performance or low retention rates for students.”
Creating positive change in the community comes naturally to Frank. The son of Franklin McCain, one of
I quickly realized that United Way is a staple in this community in a way that no other nonprofit can be...
the four North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (N.C. A&T) students who took seats at the downtown Greensboro Woolworth and made history in 1960, a sense of purpose and service to the greater community was instilled in Frank at an early age.
“My mother and father taught us that we always need to figure out how we could be part of the solution to problems that are bigger than us,” he says. “That is just embedded in who I am as a person.”
After graduating from N.C. A&T, Frank entered the finance sector, working as a private wealth advisor for both individuals and corporate clients. Though focused on facts and figures, Frank’s work gave him personal insight into the lives and challenges of his clients.
“When you talk to people about their money, it doesn’t get more personal than that,” he says. “When you become someone’s trusted advisor, you learn about people’s personal issues with family or work, or their feelings about things happening in society. It allowed me to learn how different people are, while also realizing how much we all have in common.”
While working as a financial advisor, Frank remained engaged in community work, serving on the boards for organizations including the Greensboro Police Foundation, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, YMCA of Greensboro and Reading Connections. As he looked at the work he did for these groups alongside his professional career, he discovered a common thread that led him on a different trajectory.
“I realized I felt good every day when I went home after serving as a volunteer in some capacity,” he says. “I felt like I was truly living what I was built to do, so I made a decision to pivot and make a different career move.”
Around that same time, an opportunity at United Way presented itself, and Frank began a more-than-10-year stint as the organization’s vice president of community investment and impact. The role allowed Frank to apply his finance background to his passion for service, guiding United Way’s community investments.
“I quickly realized that United Way is a staple in this community in a way that no other nonprofit can be,” he says. “It’s a convener and an orchestrator of solutions impacting people in this community. It’s very trusted and result-oriented, which really aligned with who I am as a person.”
In 2023, Frank took the helm of United Way of Greater Greensboro, training his focus on solving the issue of poverty in Guilford County. As Frank and his team began working to address this problem, he says the organization tapped into its wide network of other United Way chapters and held community conversations to gain greater insight into the root causes of poverty.
“We discovered that people are living in poverty for different reasons,” he says. “One of the overarching reasons was that many people had fallen on hard times, and many had barriers that kept them in poverty such as no transportation or adequate childcare, as well as health issues and food instability.”
Frank says United Way wanted to find a way to support people on a pathway to self-sufficiency, providing services that help them elevate themselves out of poverty. That led to the creation of the Family Success Center, a place where families and individuals can find all the resources they need under one roof.
“The nonprofit community rallied behind us to make this possible,” Frank says. “We created a place where people could get a coach to work with them to map out goals and a plan to achieve them. And the parents didn’t have to worry about their child being unattended or receiving subpar childcare.”
Frank says numerous families and individuals who have come to the Family Success Center have found gainful employment, many with companies who partner with United Way to hire graduates from the program. And those wins impact everyone in the family.
“One of the best things is the children of our members are seeing their parents take the extra step in their willingness to make a better life,” Frank says. “The children are paying attention, and that inspires them to do better in the classroom environment. It’s a win-win only achievable through the generosity of our community.”
Frank says United Way of Greater Greensboro has a goal to lift 3,000 households out of poverty. So far, they’ve helped 530 local families achieve that goal. And while there’s still work to do, Frank says with the help of the Greensboro community, anything is possible.
“We want to build a stronger community,” he says. “We want new businesses and industries to come to Greensboro, and we want our citizens to be as wellpositioned as they can be for those opportunities. We want a thriving community.”
– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief
LOVE of BOOKS FOR THE
Reading played a pivotal role in Mazey Eddings’ childhood. The autistic only child of divorced parents, Mazey says she spent a lot of time alone as a youth, immersed in a good book—most often, a romance.
“Books were my main source of socializing in a way that felt both safe and exciting,” she says. “I’ve always loved stories.”
After she entered college, Mazey says she found less time for reading as she pursued a career in dentistry. But as she faced the rigors of dental school, Mazey again turned to the comfort of books and soon realized she felt a deeper connection to the craft of writing.
“I rediscovered my love of romance, and as I was reading a book one night, suddenly out of nowhere, these characters just came to me,” she says. “Their voices popped into my head, and I thought, ‘What if I tried to write this?’”
Still busy with dental school, Mazey began writing the story for fun in her spare time, never realizing it would lead to a full novel.
When she finished writing the book and while still in dental school, Mazey began querying literary agents, eventually landing a publishing deal for her first novel, A Brush with Love. Since that first book debuted in 2019, Mazey has written six more contemporary romance novels with a sixth coming in 2025.
At the same time, Mazey graduated dental school and set up her private practice in Asheville, where she lives with her husband. Juggling two careers as demanding as dentistry and novel writing may sound like a daunting feat, but Mazey says the support of her husband and her passion for both fields make it easier to balance the two.
“When I first started writing, I would become a little obsessed and lose myself in the fictional worlds I created,” she says. “But once I started private dental practice, I really had to shift. I’m very lucky to have a husband who encourages me to fall into these fictional worlds and get my writing done early in the mornings and on the weekends.”
While some may think of romance as fluffy, Mazey fills her books with complex, often neurodivergent characters who grapple with the after-effects of trauma and navigate the challenges those things can present in relationships. Being neurodivergent herself, Mazey says it’s important to allow readers to see these characters living vibrant, lovefilled lives just as their neurotypical counterparts.
“It felt very organic for these characters to be aware of their brains in different ways,” she says. “And when it resonates with readers, that makes me feel really seen, and I imagine they connect with it because they feel seen, too. That’s why we write—to connect and understand other people and the world around us.”
Mazey’s most recent book, Late Bloomer, features her first LGBTQ+ couple, Opal and Pepper, who fall in love after a wacky turn of fate lands them both on the same flower farm in Asheville.
“I had this idea for these two women who are polar opposites in every sense of the word, and I was so excited about it,” she says. “Their story was really fun and very soft and gentle, which was what I needed at that time because I wrote it right after the pandemic lockdown. I needed to create a low-angst corner of the world.”
The bucolic Asheville setting may feel especially poignant for Late Bloomer readers following the devastation the city underwent in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Mazey says she and her family were luckily spared any major damage, but they went almost two months without potable water.
“It felt very apocalyptic and made me so grateful for so many things I had taken for granted,” she says. “It was one of the most devastating and horrible things I’ve ever
witnessed, but it was also really beautiful to see the sense of community, compassion and love that was evident everywhere you turned.”
After such tumult, Mazey says she needed a lighthearted story, and that’s what she serves in her forthcoming book, Well, Actually. The book tells the story of a woman who was mistreated by a man in her past, only to later discover he’s made a name dispensing “good guy” advice on TikTok. Incensed, she creates her own video retort that goes viral, leading to a reunion between the exes.
“I know I’m not supposed to have favorites, but this might be my favorite thing I’ve written,” Mazey says. “I feel like I channeled a lot of female rage, but in a rom-com form, and I had such a blast with it.”
Mazey also has written a young adult romance, Tilly in Technicolor, which features neurodivergent teens that take her back to her own youth, navigating the world with autism and ADHD. She says she wishes she could’ve read books at that time featuring characters like her, and that’s what drove this book and the others she has written, as well.
“I wanted to show neurodivergent teens who have all the same wants and desires in life as neurotypicals,” she says. “They want to have love and fulfillment and careers—this is my love letter to neurodivergent joy.”
– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief
Check out other titles by Mazey Eddings
THE POWER OF ART
ENLIGHTEN • INSPIRE • TRANSFORM
At The O'Brien Gallery, we are dedicated to creating a vibrant atmosphere that enlightens and inspires. Our mission is to brighten your day and foster a sense of community through the transformative power of art. Each visit promises a unique experience, allowing you to connect with exceptional artists and their remarkable works. We believe in the importance of teaching the art process, ensuring that everyone can appreciate and engage with creativity. During our artist receptions throughout the year, we spotlight individual artists who exhibit extraordinary talent and skill. There, guests can meet the artists and discover new works. Together, we can support the careers of these talented creators while bringing joy and inspiration to our community.
We also offer a variety of monthly workshops led by our fantastic gallery artists—perfect for anyone looking to paint, mix colors and create their very own masterpiece to take home. The best part about our workshops is that most come with all the supplies you need and a delicious lunch to fuel your creativity.
And speaking of lunch, our Lunch-and-Learn series allows you to witness the incredible process of art creation firsthand while enjoying a fabulous meal. Unleash your inner artist and connect with our vibrant community at The O'Brien Gallery— we’re all about bringing people together through the magic of art.
We absolutely love collaborating with designers and individual homeowners. Whether you need one stunning painting or 10, we provide a free home visit and consultation, working with any budget to ensure you find that perfect piece of art that you’ll absolutely adore.
We pride ourselves on offering exceptional hanging services that cater to each client’s needs. Whether you have a single piece or an entire collection, we will come to your home to evaluate and expertly hang your artwork. As a special gesture, we are delighted to hang any piece of art purchased from our gallery for free, ensuring that your space reflects your personal style beautifully.
But our commitment goes beyond just art. We aspire to make a meaningful impact in our community by collaborating with local non-profit organizations such as Crayons Matter and SheROCKS. Through fundraising events and special partnerships, we strive to support philanthropic efforts while showcasing extraordinary art.
Additionally, our gallery is available for rental, making it the perfect venue for a variety of events, including bridal showers, dinner parties, sip-and-paints, birthdays, rehearsal dinners and more. Whether you're looking to host an intimate gathering or a larger celebration, we provide a charming atmosphere that will make your event truly spectacular.
At The O'Brien Gallery, we welcome everyone— avid collectors, first-time buyers and artists alike. Our dedicated team is here to guide you through every step of your art journey, ensuring a delightful and enriching experience.
Artfully Yours,
Kathy O’Brien
GOAL ULTIMATE THE
Serving as head coach of High Point University’s (HPU) men’s soccer team seems almost like fate for Zach Haines. A native of Greensboro, Haines honed his skills as a soccer player in the Jamestown Youth League before playing for Southwest Guilford High School.
“From a very young age, I always wanted to play for the Jamestown Jammers,” Zach says. “And then I wanted to play for the high school team and maybe in college. It was a really great time in the 1990s in this area when soccer was really coming on.”
Zach did all those things, going on to play soccer at UNC-Chapel Hill after graduating high school. But an injury during his freshman year sidelined his career as a player.
“I was heartbroken,” he says. “It was a really tough time, and during the first year after the injury, I completely took myself away from the game. I didn’t want to have anything to do with it.”
But Zach realized he loved soccer too much to give it up completely. He knew his body wouldn’t allow for a return to the field as a player, so he took on a volunteer coaching role at UNC-Chapel Hill. In 2012, Zach began a six-year coaching tenure at UNC-Wilmington,
...it's much more important to me to run a program the right way, holding very high standrds on the field and off.
starting as second-assistant coach and ultimately moving up to associate head coach.
From there, Zach took a coaching job at the University of Denver, where he says he planned to stay for a while. But then High Point University called.
“The chance to come home and be a Division I head coach in the community I grew up in was really special,” he says. “It was everything I’ve been working toward.”
In the six years since, Zach has led the HPU men’s soccer team to an impressive run of success. The team has earned Big South tournament championships in 2020, 2022 and 2023, along with regular season championships in 2020, 2023 and 2024. The Panthers also played in the NCAA Tournament in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
This past season, the team advanced to the tournament championship game again, and also scored a stunning upset of then number 1 Pitt in Pittsburgh. Zach, who has been named Big South Conference coach of the year twice, credits the tenacity and dedication of his players for the successes the team has enjoyed.
“I look at it through the lens of our staff and our student athletes,” he says. “I’m very proud of what we’ve built, but it’s one thing to have success on the field and win games—it’s much more important to me to run a program the right way, holding very high standards on the field and off.”
That ethos shows in accolades such as five players being named to the College Sport Communicators Academic All-District Team. The honor recognizes the nation’s top student athletes for their performance both on the field and in the classroom.
“We’ve had a great deal of success in the classroom,” Zach says. “We’ve had well above a 3.0 GPA as a team every semester since I arrived. For 25 to 30 guys in any given year to achieve that is an impressive feat, and it’s something I want them to understand as a priority.”
While Zach has had several of his players go on to play professional soccer, he says ensuring they’re prepared for post-college careers that may not involve the sport remains a focus.
“We want them to grow and equip themselves for what’s next,” he says. “The academic piece goes along with holding high standards for yourself on and off the field. Everyone won’t be a professional soccer player, but when they finish our program, they will be prepared for what comes after.”
However, Zach admits it has been a thrill to see some of his players go on to Major League Soccer, and he has worked hard to position HPU as an incubator for talent to rise to the next level of the sport.
“It’s extremely difficult to become a professional athlete in any sport, and we take a lot of pride in the fact that High Point has become a place that people recognize for providing the development and competition you need to make that a reality,” he says.
Zach also feels a sense of pride seeing his players grow as people, both in the way they handle themselves with others and how they navigate their careers.
“We hear from coaches how impressed they are with the young men who come out of this program—the way they interact with their teammates and the staff, the way they carry themselves,” he says. “It’s not just about playing soccer and making money—they’re good people who bring a lot to the table.”
And through that process, Zach says he builds relationships with his players that extend far beyond their time on the field.
“When you coach someone in their formative years, there’s a real bond that you form because you go through a lot of ups and downs together,” he says. “You face high-level challenges and you see every emotional state imaginable. And you build relationships that are longlasting and give you an extended family that will always have your back.”
As he looks to the future of HPU men’s soccer, Zach says he’s excited for what’s to come. And he feels particularly grateful to be able to build a nationally recognized program in the same area that first nurtured his love of soccer.
“We want to keep reaching new heights,” he says. “We’ve become a nationally relevant program, and we want to make that next breakthrough, which is an NCAA tournament run. We’ve won games in the tournament, but we want to become the next mid-major that can join the ranks of the Denvers, Creightons and Akrons. And I think we’re on the right track.”
– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief
RESOLUTIONS THAT INSPIRE AND LEAD TO SUCCESS
What are some tips for successfully setting resolutions and keeping them?
My advice is to start small and use the SMART approach. A new year is a great time to be inspired to start a healthy habit or to take steps towards achieving a goal that you have been meaning to work towards. But if you set a resolution or goal that is too broad, you run the risk of not following through.
What
do you mean by the SMART approach?
The SMART approach is an acronym that people can use to help when setting a goal and it is a proven approach that will lead to more success in reaching that goal. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant and Time-Bound.
Let’s say you start with a resolution of, “I’m going to get healthy.” That goal is much too broad and more than likely, won’t be inspiring to the person trying to achieve it, especially if setbacks are experienced. You can use the SMART approach to refine that resolution, which would sound like this, “I will start taking a fitness class that I can fit into my schedule two times a week, starting on or before February 1.” That goal is more specific, it gives you a reasonable deadline, it is measurable and actionable, and it is relevant to the broader goal of getting healthy.
You also want to avoid setting too many goals all at once. Set one goal, such as taking a fitness class, and once you have achieved that goal, add to it. You could add a nutrition-related goal next such as, “Starting today, I will make one healthy food swap for one meal each day.”
Keep layering these SMART goals and before you know it, you are achieving success toward becoming healthier!
What other advice can you share to help our readers set and achieve their goals?
Find a supportive group who can help you along the way! At NEIGHBORHOOD barre, we offer a warm and inviting environment where you can take safe and effective fitness classes, and we also help clients set SMART goals and help you work towards achieving them! All you need is to take that first step and take your first class (and it is free)!
Whitney Brockman, Studio Owner and Certified Instructor, NEIGHBORHOOD barre Greensboro
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